- Wednesday, March 12, 2025
By: PTI
SRI LANKA’s newly elected president Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday (3) invited the country’s political parties to form an all-party government to overcome the current economic crisis as the parliament reconvened after a seven-day adjournment.
Wickremesinghe, who was picked as the president by the Lankan parliament to replace Gotabaya Rajapaksa who fled the country in the wake of growing resentment over its crisis, made the remarks while presenting the government’s policy statement during the third session of the parliament in accordance with the powers vested in him by Article 33 of the Sri Lankan Constitution.
“All parties must get together to steer the country,” he told the lawmakers.
Wickremesinghe also thanked Indian prime minister Narendra Modi for India’s support to his country in the tough times. He said the debt restructuring plan is in its final stages of being prepared and added that the economic restructuring plan would be outlined in the interim budget to be presented soon.
Earlier, President Wickremesinghe was received at the parliament with a Tri Force Guard of Honour. Parliament speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and secretary general Dhammika Dasanayaka welcomed him at the main steps of the parliament building.
Wickremesinghe was elected President by lawmakers on July 20 — the first such occasion since 1978.
The 73-year-old was appointed for the rest of the term of Rajapaksa who fled the country and resigned on July 13.
Sri Lanka has witnessed months of mass unrest over the worst economic crisis, with the government declaring bankruptcy in mid-April by refusing to honour its international debt.
