AFM drugs heist: Speaker shoots down request for urgent parliamentary debate

An Opposition motion to debate the 200kg drugs heist from the military barracks in Safi was shot down by the Speaker of the House on Monday.

Prime Minister Robert Abela was supposed to make a parliamentary statement on Sunday's drug heist, but with the two sides of the House exchanging jeers and insults, the session had to be suspended five times and adjourned without the ministerial statement.

Opposition leader Bernard Grech tabled the motion for the debate on Monday, as MPs held up posters with Byron Camilleri's face on them and several slogans that included statements such as, 'False resignation', 'Condemned by the Ombudsman', '14 dead in prison' and 'Escaped Moroccans', all references to several scandals involving the minister's portfolio.

Camilleri offered his resignation to the prime minister after news broke that 200kg worth of cannabis resin was stolen from the military barracks in Safi, where it were being kept as evidence due to ongoing court proceedings. Despite the offer, the prime minister rejected his resignation.

After Grech made his request, the Labour Party's whip Naomi Cachia argued that this debate should not happen while investigations into the heist are still ongoing. She said that Abela will give a ministerial statement on the matter instead. 

This did not impress Grech, who pointed out that Byron Camilleri, the minister responsible for Malta's armed forces, was not present in the chamber on Monday. 

MPs traded plenty of jeers and insults throughout the session, prompting the Speaker to make two rulings deploring the use of disparaging comments in the chamber. 

(Photo: PN)

The first ruling was requested by Alex Borg, who said the prime minister called him a clown (purċinell) and asked that he take back his words. Abela accepted the ruling. 

Abela requested the second ruling, which concerned a comment by Opposition MPs accusing the government of criminal association. Grech said the Opposition rejects the ruling and stands by its comment. The Speaker will decide on a way forward in a future session.

On Monday morning, PN shadow ministers Darren Carabott and Graziella Galea said this is the second time in 20 days that the PN demanded Camilleri's resignation. They criticised the prime minister for rejecting Camilleri's resignation,  saying t the decision sends a message that no minister is held politically accountable for failures under their watch

The latest scandal adds to a growing list of controversies under Camilleri’s tenure, including allegations involving fake ID cards, the escape of Moroccan nationals from the airport, the lack of action on the Pilatus Bank case, and the LESA fines scandal.

Other issues include the damning Ombudsman report on Alex Dalli's cruel career as prison head.

The PN said that this latest incident is particularly alarming because the stolen drugs were under the custody of the AFM and were meant to be destroyed by court order. Instead, they have now found their way back onto the streets.

Darren Carabott accused government of failing to address the worsening drug crisis, adding, "It is unacceptable that instead of combating the drug problem, the minister has become part of the problem."

The PN also criticised Prime Minister Robert Abela for refusing to accept Camilleri’s resignation, claiming that the decision sends a message that no minister is held politically accountable for failures under their watch.

According to the PN, this reflects a broader effort by government to undermine transparency and shield ministers from scrutiny, including proposed changes that would limit the public's ability to request magisterial inquiries.