Tweets of the Week: Commission Handover, NATO jokes, Malta Rule of Law

Welcome to EURACTIV’s EU Tweets of the Week. 

This episode is sponsored by Danfoss, find out more about them at the end.   

VDL Commission takes up its seat, Trump under fire as NATO leaders meet, and Rule of Law in Malta feeling the heat.

On Sunday, the Von de Leyen Commission moved into the Berlaymont building.

Marco Ricorda spotted some similarities with another famous tower.

Steady on Marco, I don’t think Ursula has reached Dark Lord Sauron levels just yet!

In a press conference, former Commission president Jean Claude Juncker handed over the keys to the Berlaymont to Ursula von der Leyen, or as Mina Andreeva put it: Changing of the guard(ians of the 🇪🇺 Treaties)

Juncker also left his successor with a ceremonial bell he himself said was “absolutely useless”.

And after five years in charge, Juncker signed off his final press conference saying “I’m hungry”

 

As MEP Assistant said, just when you thought Juncker’s fare well couldn’t live up to his legend…

Juncker: “Hold my plate”

On Tuesday, western leaders gathered in London to celebrate NATO’s 70th anniversary… and well, let’s just say it wasn’t exactly convivial!

“So much for the bromance,” reported AFP journalist Damon Wake, as “Donald Trump really put the boot in to Emmanuel Macron.” 

Trump slammed Macron’s NATO brain-dead comments as “nasty” and “insulting”, ridiculed France for high unemployment, and said nobody needs NATO more than France.

But Dave Keating pointed out that “realistically, after the US itself, France is probably the country that needs NATO the least.”

France was not in NATO from 1966 to 2009, because of their concerns it made Europe too reliant on America and it’s the only other member with a completely independent nuclear weapons system.

Martini Seltzermayr thought reverse psychology might be at work: “Genius move by Macron attacking NATO just so Trump would defend it.”

But the real headline was hot mic footage of Justin Trudeau, Mark Rutte, Emmanuel Macron, Boris Johnson and Princess Anne openly gossiping about Donald Trump at the Buckingham Palace reception and mocking his propensity for off the cuff 40-minute press conferences.

“Cannot wait for this to be on Season 8 of The Crown,” said Jennifer Cassidy.

And OF COURSE Twitter went nuts with everyone piling on the general scoffing at Trump.

 

Trump responded by calling Trudeau two-faced.

And then flounced off home early cancelling his final press conference.

Because… of course he did!

Not a great look for Trump, but as Paul Lidicul tweeted, it could have been worse!

Finally this week, to my home from home, Malta, where rule of law is == under threat.

For the third time, on Tuesday a European Parliament delegation visited the island to inquire into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia just over two years ago.

Daphne was known for exposing corruption event at the highest levels, and her murder has “shocked the world,” tweeted Belgian MEP Assita Kanko.

 

The delegation said it had “serious concerns about PM Joseph Muscat staying in office” and about the integrity of the murder investigation.

 

Von der Leyen also raised the issue, a move commended by Daphne’s son Matthew. 

Confusingly Muscat first announced he would be stepping down, and then added that he would actually be staying on until January next year when his Labour party could select a replacement.

Maltese MEP David Casa said :Malta’s international-level humiliation continues. All so that Joseph Muscat can continue to obstruct justice.”

Local protesters expressed their anger at ministers – Justice minister Owen Bonnici  getting egged here.

 

And Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola made her feelings very clear refusing to shake Muscat’s hand. 

 

“The mafia took over the Malta Labour Party & then the country.  Daphne Caruana Galizia exposed them so they sued her, then they tried to dehumanise her, then they killed her. Now they’re trying to cover it all up.

And that man had the gall to try to shake my hand. 

Get out now”

Berlaymonster said “Malta’s current woes will someday bear an embossed cover in an airport bookshop. For now, follow them and be concerned it ISN’T cheap thriller fiction.”

This week we are supported by Danfoss, find out more about how district heating and sector integration can help achieve a carbon neutral EU by following them online.