The theft of 200kg of cannabis resin from a confiscated shipping container which was being stored on Armed Forces of Malta premises is just "the latest story in a long series of scandals in the (Home Affairs) ministry", Repubblika said in a statement on Monday.

Repubblika said that the series of scandals include situations involving Identita, and the Ombudsman report on the Corradino Correctional Facility and the behaviour of former prison director Alexander Dalli.

On Sunday, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri offered his resignation to the Prime Minister in addition to suspending the Brigadier of the Armed Forces of Malta following a drug theft on army premises. Prime Minister Robert Abela subsequently told journalists that he had refused Camilleri's resignation and added that an administrative inquiry would be appointed to look into the situation.

Repubblika stated that it considers this theft as a matter of the greatest gravity on many levels. It continued that the situation is serious because it is a theft which occurred in a place where the drugs were supposed to be guarded by the Armed Forces of Malta, in addition to the drugs in question having been designated to be destroyed by order of the Court.

The NGO said that in the face of such a grave situation, maturity demands that political responsibility must be shouldered. "A serious, honest, and responsible minister resigns in the face of such a scandal, even if he did not personally do it," it commented.

It continued that as the Minister receives applause and congratulations when those under him are successful, he should also bear the responsibility for serious mistakes such as this. It added that it is not right that the Brigadier is suspended while the Minister remains.

Repubblika stated that it expects full transparency concerning what happened in this situation and all the relevant circumstances. It added that the government must be clear regarding how long the drugs in question were awaiting to be destroyed, be clear about why the drugs had not yet been destroyed as well as whether there were more drugs that were supposed to be destroyed but may have instead been stolen.

The NGO added that the government should also be clear about how many drugs there are that were supposed to be destroyed in recent years which have not yet been destroyed.

"We can no longer live in a country where impunity reigns," Repubblika concluded.