AFM robbery is the result of a government focused only on maintaining power: Bernard Grech
PN leader Bernard Grech said that the robbery is Byron Camilleri's most recent failure and shows his inability to give the public peace of mind
23 February 2025, 2:29pm
Matthew Farrugia
Matthew Farrugia
3 min read
(Photo: PN)
Opposition leader Bernard Grech has blasted Byron Camilleri for his continuous failures shortly after Camilleri offered to resign following an embarrassing robbery at the AFM’s Safi barracks.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, thieves broke into the Safi barracks and stole 200kg of cannabis that was seized and was supposed to be secured pending its destruction. Camilleri said that he suspended AFM Brigadier Clinton J O’Neill and offered his own resignation to the Prime Minister.
Reacting to the news, Grech said that the news is of great concern, as it shows yet another failure by Camilleri and his inability to give the public peace of mind.
Grech reminded various calls for Camilleri’s resignation, adding that the robbery is an example of what happens when a government is more focussed on holding power rather than doing its job.
The PN leader called on the Prime Minister to accept Camilleri’s resignation. This was just before Abela defended Camilleri and announced that he will not accept the resignation.
Grech was speaking during a Q&A session with MaltaToday’s Executive Editor Kurt Sansone, TVM journalist Liam Carter, and Lovin Malta journalist, Ana Tortell.
Among other themes, Grech was asked to comment on MaltaToday’s survey which showed that he still suffers from a lack of trust as a potential Prime Minister.
Grech stated that surveys must be seen within the relevant context, explaining that although the PN still trails the PL, the vote gap has been narrowed significantly. He described his party as the underdog, due to the fact that it doesn’t have the power of incumbency, stressing that the PN will not stop its work to project itself as an alternative government.
“It’s not about me,” he said regarding his lackluster trust rating
Grech was also quizzed on the PN’s finances and allegations that it has not paid its employees’ NI.
“I have insisted and continue to insist that the party’s accounts be finalised. From our end, we’ve done everything expected from us, and the ball is in the auditor’s court now,” he said.
Grech further slammed the PL for attacking the PN on the same problems they share, insisting that the PL’s problems with regards to unpaid NI are more serious.
MaltaToday’s Kurt Sansone pressed the PN leader on the fact that one party’s wrongdoing doesn’t justify the other’s. “It’s a choice between someone who acknowledges their problem… and someone who keeps trying to fool the electorate.”
Toward the end of the session, Grech was asked to talk about his relationship with Prime Minister Robert Abela. Grech bluntly stated that the relationship has been soured and that Abela is at fault for this.
Grech referenced allegations he had made that Abela had sent a drone to fly over his house. A day after Grech’s family noticed the drone, Abela hit out at Grech for owning a house with a swimming pool, despite having declared modest incomes over the years.
He said that this shows Abela’s tendency to intimidate those who oppose him. Grech admitted that his relationship with Abela had improved around the time they nominated Myriam Spiteri Debono to become Malta’s President.
However, Grech claimed that the relationship soured once again following the PL’s disappointing results in the 2024 elections, which, according to Grech, led Abela to once again attack his critics.
Matthew Farrugia is a staff reporter at MaltaToday
