Colombo: Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa has rejected President Gotabhaya’s call for an interim government in Sri Lanka. The people have been waging a series of protests demanding the removal of the Rajapaksa brothers, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who have caused an unprecedented economic crisis in Sri Lanka due to mismanagement. A special cabinet meeting was held at the Chancellery yesterday on the heels of the end of the crisis on several fronts. In it, the media reported that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had said, “I am ready to resign only if the crisis situation in the country is resolved with the formation of an interim government.” Thus, it seems that Rajapaksa will resign soon.
In this context, President Gotabhaya yesterday called on Sajid Premadasa, the leader of the opposition Samagi Jana Balavikaya, to form an interim government. However, Sajid Pramedasa has refused to accept this. Earlier, President Gotabhaya had telephoned opposition leader Sajid Premadasa and the party’s economic guru Harsha de Silva over the formation of an interim government.
Then, on the advice of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, on the withdrawal of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which gives the President unrestricted powers, the re-enactment of the 19th Amendment, which gives additional powers to Parliament, and the establishment of an interim government if conditions are agreed upon, including allowing the interim government to continue for at least 18 months with the abolition of the Presidential system. Let’s consult, ‘said Premadasa. If President Gotabhaya agrees to Premadasa’s terms, there is a possibility of an interim government in Sri Lanka.
* Holiday cancellation
A statement issued by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense yesterday said, “As the state of emergency has been declared again, the leave of all officers working under the Ministry of Defense will be canceled.”