Ex-EU commissioner pleads innocent in Malta to bribery

VALLETTA, Malta (AP) — A former European Union health commissioner has pleaded innocent in a Maltese courtroom to charges of bribery and influence trading bribery charges. John Dalli, who is Maltese, served in the commission post from 2010 to 2012. The case in Malta is a probe of an alleged attempt by one of his political canvassers to solicit a 60 million euro bribe to help overturn an EU-wide ban on a form of smokeless tobacco. The political operator separately was charged with influence trading in 2012 and that case is still pending. Dalli has steadfastly maintained his innocence.