Discontent and compromise shape Alex Borg’s new shadow cabinet

Alex Borg’s new shadow cabinet has already sparked concerns over potential conflicts of interest and exposed internal tensions within the Nationalist parliamentary group, with the Opposition Leader forced to revise his original plans to accommodate dissatisfied MPs, The Shift is informed.

According to PN sources familiar with the discussions, Borg’s initial shadow cabinet proposal met considerable resistance from several MPs who were unhappy with the portfolios they had been assigned. Although shadow ministerial roles carry no executive authority and are primarily intended to divide parliamentary work and policy responsibilities, they remain politically significant and are often viewed as a measure of an MP’s standing within the party.

Sources said Borg was consequently forced to alter his original plans, redistributing responsibilities to satisfy as many members of his parliamentary group as possible.

“The final line-up is the result of compromises, as almost always happens,” one source said. “There was resistance from MPs who expected more prominent portfolios, and changes had to be made.”

The situation bears similarities to that faced by Prime Minister Robert Abela after last month’s general elections. Faced with competing demands from Labour MPs seeking ministerial appointments, Abela ultimately formed the largest Cabinet in Malta’s history, creating a raft of ministries and parliamentary secretary positions. Many of those appointments resulted in overlapping responsibilities and portfolios with little real executive weight, driven largely by the need to appease internal party demands.

Borg now appears to have encountered a comparable challenge within the Opposition, and some of his appointments are already raising eyebrows over possible conflicts of interest.

Among the most notable is the appointment of PN deputy leader Alex Perici Calascione as Shadow Minister for Tourism. Perici Calascione is married into the Pisani family, founders and controlling shareholders of the Corinthia Group, one of Malta’s largest tourism operators and a major player in the country’s hospitality industry. As the Opposition’s tourism spokesperson, he will be expected to scrutinise government policy on matters directly affecting the sector, including hotel development, public land acquisition and concessions, tourism incentives and wider industry regulation.

Asked by The Shift whether he considered the appointment problematic, Perici Calascione dismissed any suggestion of a conflict. “I firmly believe that this is definitely not an issue of concern,” he insisted.

Rather than addressing concerns about the perception of a conflict of interest directly, Perici Calascione pointed to the late Robert Arrigo, who also served as the PN’s tourism spokesperson while being directly involved in the tourism industry.

“Apart from my personal connection being an indirect one within a large partly publicly-owned organisation, the contribution of the late Robert Arrigo, himself a direct operator, as Shadow Minister of Tourism was marked with a high degree of professionalism and excellence which I intend to be guided by to the best of my abilities,” he said.

Another appointment attracting attention is the confirmation of Joe Giglio, who has retained the justice portfolio. One of Malta’s leading criminal defence lawyers, Giglio continues to maintain an active legal practice while serving as Shadow Minister for Justice. The role places him at the forefront of the Opposition’s positions on criminal justice reform, policing, prosecution and the administration of justice – the same system in which he regularly appears on behalf of clients.

Although there is no legal impediment preventing practising lawyers from holding political office, and similar situations have existed under previous administrations, Giglio’s dual role is expected to fuel renewed debate about the separation between professional interests and public responsibilities, particularly in a country where several MPs continue to practise law while simultaneously scrutinising legislation affecting the legal profession.

Borg also opted to maintain the status quo in several key portfolios despite what many perceive as a lacklustre performance during the last legislature.

Perhaps the most notable example is the reconfirmation of Stephen Spiteri as the PN’s spokesperson for health, despite criticism over his performance on one of the island’s most important and challenging portfolios.

Alex Borg also confirmed Adrian Delia as the spokesperson for finance and veteran MP Beppe Fenech Adami as the spokesperson for foreign affairs.

Meanwhile, some of the party’s younger generation, including two of its rising stars, Rebekah Borg and Darren Carabott, were entrusted with some of the Opposition’s most challenging briefs. Borg was assigned planning, where she will be expected to scrutinise one of the country’s most controversial and compromised sectors, while Carabott was appointed spokesperson for the economy.