The Nationalist Party is to hold a protest outside parliament next month over "the government's failures" and following Byron Camilleri's decision to remain as home affairs minister. 

PN leader Bernard Grech announced the protest for Sunday March 9 during a news conference on Thursday as a fifth man was arraigned over Saturday's AFM drugs heist. 

“Drugs are on the street, and [Robert] Abela says there is nothing wrong,” Grech said.

The prime minister had refuse to accept Camilleri's resignation after thieves were able to enter a secure army barracks and make off with drugs that were stored there. 

“This is a government in its third legislature. This is a government that is tired, and this is a government that is not focused,” Grech. 

He urged the public to participate in the protest, scheduled for 3 pm in Valletta. “This is another moment to show you disagree with this government. This is a moment where we are going to give you the opportunity to show your disapproval,” he said.

Grech also raised concerns about censorship, accusing the government of silencing criticism. “The government will tell you that they don’t agree with censorship, but they are a government that censors when it comes to criticism of them,” he said. He questioned why the government would be reluctant to face scrutiny if it had done nothing wrong. However, he did not specify a particular case of censorship despite mentioning it multiple times. 

Grech further criticised the administration’s approach to governance, claiming it lacks long-term planning in key sectors such as health, infrastructure, the environment, and the economy. “A government that decides today for yesterday or from this morning to this evening. They don’t think about the future,” he said.

This will be the Nationalist Party’s first protest of the year. The last demonstration, held in December, was in response to controversies involving ministers Clayton Bartolo and Clint Camilleri.