PL's EU spokesman disagrees with Tonio Borg signing declaration

The Labour Party spokesman on European Affairs, George Vella, said today that were he in Tonio Borg's shoes, he would not have signed the declaration which MEPs had asked him to sign in the wake of last week's hearing to consider his suitability to become a European Commissioner. It was Labour's first reaction after Dr Borg wrote to MEPs yesterday. Yesterday, former President Eddie Fenech Adami and independent MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said they would not have signed the declaration. Dr Pullicino Orlando said that it would be a shame if the EU, supposedly built on diversity, rejected Dr Borg for his personal beliefs. Replying to questions on One TV's breakfast show, Dr Vella referred to that part of Dr Borg's declaration about actively supporting EU policies with regard to women’s rights. He said that such language was usually seen as including abortion. Similar language had been used at the Congress of Socialist Parties three weeks ago. At the time, the Labour Party said that it backed women's rights but it added a reservation that it did not approve abortion. Dr Borg had a right to his personal opinion, Dr Vella said, and the least he could have done was to add a proviso in...