Nicosia, Cyprus. Defence Minister Vassilis Palmas said on Thursday that calls for his resignation over missing military explosives were misplaced, citing ongoing disciplinary and criminal procedures. He spoke after 13.6 kilograms of TNT went missing during a national guard training exercise at the Kalo Chorio firing range.
Minister responds to criticism
Speaking on Sigma TV, Palmas said responsibility should be assessed through established disciplinary and criminal processes rather than through automatic resignations. He said that if every incident led to a minister stepping down, “no minister would remain.”
Palmas said he had demonstrated during his political career that he assumes responsibility when issues of political ethics arise.
Two parallel investigations
Palmas said the case was being handled on two separate tracks, one disciplinary and one criminal.
He said the disciplinary process within the national guard was nearing completion and that responsibilities would be assigned within the next week, adding that some did not perform their duty properly.
Police investigation ongoing
Palmas said the criminal investigation is being conducted by the police, with no substantive developments so far. He urged caution about expectations for the criminal investigation and confirmed the missing explosives have not yet been located.
How do you think accountability should be handled when military explosives go missing during training?
