The ongoing debt negotiations with the creditor nations and its process will not be impacted despite the Presidential Election that is to take place in Sri Lanka, asserted the State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe yesterday (30).

He made these remarks during the press conference held at the President Media Division (PMD) responding to a question raised by a journalist. 

State Minister Semasinghe inquired, “without debt restructuring, what is the option left in overcoming this (economic crisis) and what is the option they suggest for the debt restructuring process?”

He added that there are certain “political camps” that want to hinder the process of debt restructuring negotiations “creating a boogeyman” implying that this will not be successful and Sri Lanka will face another economic meltdown. 

State Minister Semasinghe, however, elaborated that as Members of Parliament alone cannot decide how it should take place or take sides opinions as it is unjustful to each citizen in the country. 

Attending the opening of the Martin Wickramasinghe Hall of Life section at the National Library and Documentation Services Board on Wednesday (29), Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena confirmed that the Presidential Election is to take place per the Constitution as it has specified by the Election Commission. 

Responding to an inquiry made by a journalist, Prime Minister Gunawardena said: “They (Election Commission) have announced that it (Presidential Election) will be scheduled between the months of September and October. The Government has also announced that.”

He stressed that the Election Commission has the power to call the Presidential election, according to the Constitution. It cannot be called in advance or later. It has been fixed in the Constitution. Accordingly, the Election Commission will conduct the election as scheduled.