Tag: Sri Lanka

Ranil Wickramasinghe is unlikely to calm the people furious with the economic crisis

The Parliament of Sri Lanka has chosen Raneel Wickramasinghe, who has repeatedly headed the country's government, as the new president. It was he who was instructed by legislators to lead the island republic after the previous head of state fled abroad due to riots. But replacing the old president with a new one is unlikely to immediately calm the Sri Lankans who are dissatisfied with the deep crisis.

Photo: Global Look Press

Ranil Wickramasinghe, 73, who became president, said that he had spent 45 years of his life in parliament and was happy that lawmakers honored him with becoming head of state.

In fact, presidents in Sri Lanka are usually elected by citizens during elections. But if the office of president for one reason or another becomes vacant before the official end of the term of office, the responsibility for electing the head of state lies with the parliament. In the history of the republic, this happened only once, when, after the assassination of President Ranasinghe Premadasa, the then Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga was elected in 1993 by Parliament to the vacant seat (and this was done without alternative).

This time the elections were held on an alternative basis (although their outcome seemed predetermined to many) – according to the voting results, the winner received the support of 134 deputies. Center-left ex-Minister of Media Affairs Dullas Alahapperum came in second with 82 votes. And the candidate from the Marxist-Leninist “People's Liberation Front” Anur Kumar Dissanayaka received only three deputy votes.

“I don’t need to tell you what state our country is in,” the newly elected president of the Democratic Socialist Republic addressed the deputies Sri Lanka. “Now that the elections are over, we must put an end to this division.”

Now exiled in Singapore, Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed Ranil Wickramasinghe as prime minister in May, hoping to bring stability to a country beset by the worst social and economic crisis in generations. And when Rajapaksa fled the country last week (first to the Maldives, and from there to Singapore) and submitted his resignation by e-mail, the head of government became acting president.

Rajapaksa flew abroad after protesters enraged by the country's economic collapse broke into his official residence and seized key government buildings.

A six-time prime minister and a former presidential candidate, Wickramasinghe has a reputation as a sophisticated heavyweight politician with extensive experience in diplomatic and international affairs. Suffice it to recall that under his premiership, an armistice agreement was reached with the Tamil separatists, which put an end to years of civil war. And this is its plus. But there is also a huge minus – it is unpopular among many Sri Lankans, who consider it the “birthmark” of the Rajapaksa regime. It is not surprising that after the election of a new president, a protesting public immediately gathered near the residence of the head of state, chanting “Run, go away.”

some analysts called him a “political dead man”.

It is worth noting that the presidency of Ranil Wickramasinghe will have a “truncated” character. The politician will perform the functions of the head of state not for the five years required by law, but only for the remainder of the term of his predecessor who resigned (expires in 2024). However, as president, Wickramasinghe now has the discretion to appoint a new prime minister.

Be that as it may, the new head of state will have a hard time. The economic crisis has left 22 million Sri Lankans facing shortages of basic necessities, including medicine, fuel and food. The government is negotiating assistance with the International Monetary Fund, promising to normalize the situation in the republic by next year. And against this background, the Sri Lankans have a reasonable question: will the new government have enough strength and resources to correct the situation in the economy and calm the public, enraged by the failures of the previous regime.

In addition to being prime minister but also finance minister Ranil, Wickramasinghe led negotiations with the IMF and spoke to parliament weekly to warn that the recovery from the crisis would be difficult. Despite his promises to “overhaul” the government, he will have to feel the obvious distrust of the public, who considers him a relic of the Rajapaksa era, whose rule led the country to an economic disaster.

Detractors accuse Wickramasinghe of going out of his way to protect the long-ruling Rajapaksa clan from any harm and making deals with this powerful but unpopular family in order to outwit political rivals.

And the echo of these accusations was felt even during the parliamentary vote. Few MPs dared to publicly say they would vote for Wickramasinghe, fearing they might repeat history when protesters burned down the homes of dozens of lawmakers loyal to the then president in May. By the way, the new head of state promised the injured deputies that the criminals would be severely punished.

Well, the activists from among the protesters promise to regroup their forces and continue the fight until the new president leaves power.

Ranil Wickremesinghe became the eighth president of Sri Lanka: politics gallery

See related photo gallery

Источник www.mk.ru

According to Agence France-Presse, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted his resignation letter and flew out of the country. On July 13, the chairman of the Sri Lankan Parliament will address the nation.

The election of a new president is due on July 20. According to the Daily Mirror, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe will act as president. There are no official comments from the authorities yet.

In April, large-scale protests began in Sri Lanka, caused by the economic crisis. On July 9, protesters occupied the presidential residence.

Источник www.mk.ru

The protests taking place in Sri Lanka are an internal affair of the country. This was stated by the Russian Foreign Ministry, RIA Novosti reports.

“This is an internal matter. We wish you a speedy restoration of order within the framework of the constitutional process,— responded to the Foreign Ministry's request to comment on the events in Sri Lanka.

July 9 in the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo began mass protests and clashes with the police. Demonstrators demanding the resignation of the head of state, Gotabay Rajapaksa, seized the presidential residence. The president himself was taken out of there before the arrival of the protesters, Reuters was told in the Ministry of Defense. The location of Rajapaksa is not specified.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe convened the leaders of the political parties. They all demanded the president's resignation. Wickramasinghe himself intends to resign after the formation of a new government.

Protests due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka began in April. In mid-spring, the country's authorities declared default. The country is experiencing problems with the import of essential goods, which arose due to a lack of currency.

Read on RBC Pro Pro How China's technology sector lost $2 trillion in capitalization Pro Telomere Effect. A Revolutionary Approach to a Younger, Healthier and Longer Life Summary Pro How to Become Your Own Leader: Four Rules and Ten Taboos Instructions Pro Cryptowinter is sending investors into a panic. What assets are still interesting Pro Articles What is a capital amnesty and why do cryptocurrency owners need it? How to make money on it Articles Tags Subscribe to Telegram

Источник rbc.ru

The protests in Sri Lanka are peaceful, the protesters do not cause any damage. Eyewitnesses of the events stated this to RBC.

The protesters are friendly and try not to harm anyone, Russian woman Alevtina, who lives in Colombo, told RBC. She stated that a huge number of people are taking part in the protests. “Although, anyway, the police used tear gas and there were small clashes and thirty, I think, people are in the hospital, but the protests continue. Everyone is waiting for the official resignation of the President, — she said.

At the same time, according to her, the situation in Sri Lanka is getting worse every day. She complained about interruptions in electricity and fuel supplies. The latter, according to her, is received only by some services: ambulance, firefighters, the tourism sector.

“Instead of cars, they switched to bicycles, naturally, bicycles also tripled in price. There are still products, but there are fewer and fewer of them, they are becoming more and more expensive,— she complained.

Video

The fact that the protesters are behaving peacefully was also told by Russian Kirill, who also lives in Colombo. “Everything is safe [for foreigners], no one is touched. Everyone is smiling and happy. Peacefully stand and shout,»,— Kirill said.

Read on RBC Pro Pro The US market is falling. It's time to “buy the bottom” or it's ahead – expert opinions Predictions Pro Eight ways to ruin a vacation and how to prevent it Instructions Pro Only 20% of the company's employees are talented. Why this idea is dangerous Research Pro Live to 120: why the co-founder of PayPal takes growth hormone Is it worth buying them on a drawdown Forecasts Pro PR market is deformed: experts ask for millions for nothingA Russian tourist in Sri Lanka, who wished to remain anonymous, said there was “no atmosphere of protest” in the country. “So we feel generally safe here, just stay away from the crowds. In the field of tourism, everything is in order here, there is food, tourist buses run, I can’t say that we feel any strong discomfort, although there are often power outages, — she said.

Earlier, the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka asked citizens to refrain from visiting crowded places.

Protests due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka started in April. In mid-spring, the country's authorities announced a default due to the crisis and problems with the import of essential goods, which arose due to a lack of currency.

The protesters demand the resignation of the government and President Gotabai Rajalaksa. On July 9, the protesters stormed his residence, but the head of state managed to leave it. Reuters, citing sources in the country's Ministry of Defense, reports that the president was taken out of the residence a day earlier. Where he is at the moment, it is not specified.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe then called an emergency meeting with the leaders of political parties, and also asked to convene parliament. Leaders of political parties called on the president to resign.

Tags Subscribe to VK RBC Get news faster than anyone else

Источник rbc.ru

Participants in protests due to the economic crisis in Sri Lanka previously seized the presidential palace and set fire to the residence of the country's prime minister

Sri Lankan Presidential Residence Interior

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will step down from office on July 13, Newswire reported citing a link on the speaker of the country's parliament, Mahind Yap Abeywarden.

“The president told me to tell the country that he would step down on the 13th to hand over power peacefully,”— he said.

Sri Lankan political party leaders had previously called for Rajapaksa to step down. Before the meeting of the leaders of the parties, the president said that he would agree with any decision.

The speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeiwardena should become the interim president after the resignation of Rajapaksa in accordance with the Constitution of Sri Lanka, Rauff Hakim, an MP and leader of the Muslim Minority Party (Congress of Muslims of Sri Lanka). Rauff took part in a meeting of leaders of parliamentary parties and published a photo from there.

In the capital of Sri Lanka— Colombo— Protests are taking place due to the economic crisis that broke out in the spring. In mid-April, the authorities defaulted due to the crisis and problems with the import of essential goods caused by a lack of currency. The financial situation of the country has been shaken due to the pandemic and events in Ukraine, they said in the Ministry of Finance of Sri Lanka. They also estimated the necessary external assistance to resolve the crisis at $3 billion.

Read on RBC Pro Pro Tax disputes: what to pay attention to right now Where it will lead Articles Pro How to bargain with the Chinese – the secrets of negotiations Articles Pro How to protect your skin from the sun: detailed instructions from a dermatologist What Assets Are Still Interested Articles Pro Participatory Capitalism. A global economy that works for progress, people and the planet Summary

On July 9, demonstrators in the capital of Sri Lanka stormed the presidential palace. The head of state, Gotabay Rajapaksa, was taken out of there in advance, the country's Defense Ministry told Reuters. His whereabouts are unknown.

Protesters also set fire to the residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe. Earlier, he promised to resign when a new government was formed with the participation of all parliamentary parties.

Video

During the riots on July 9, the police used water cannons and tear gas. As a result of clashes with law enforcement agencies, at least 31 people were injured, including several police officers, wrote Ada Derana. The publication also reported on the attack by special forces officers on several journalists who were covering the unrest at the prime minister's residence. The Inspector General of the Police of Sri Lanka ordered an investigation into the incident.

Authors Tags Subscribe to Telegram

Источник rbc.ru

The Aeroflot plane was detained at the request of a leasing company from Ireland, later the court arrested it .jpg” alt=”The Foreign Ministry summoned the Ambassador of Sri Lanka because of the detention of the Russian Airbus” />

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Ambassador of Sri Lanka Janita Abeivikrema Liyanaga in connection with the detention of the Airbus A330-aircraft by the court in Colombo 343 of the Aeroflot airline, according to the website of the Foreign Ministry.

“The head of the diplomatic mission was protested in connection with the unfounded decision of the judicial authorities of Sri Lanka to detain on June 2 at the Bandaranaike international airport a regular aircraft” Aeroflot», which was preparing to fly to Moscow»,— the report said.

The Foreign Ministry urged Sri Lanka to “resolve this issue as soon as possible in order to avoid its negative impact on traditionally friendly bilateral relations.”

The Federal Air Transport Agency is also involved in the settlement. The department told RBC that the head of the agency, Alexander Neradko, asked the aviation authorities of Sri Lanka to allow the ship with crew members to fly to Russia “as soon as possible and without any delay.”

Aircraft “Aeroflot” detained at the request of a leasing company from Ireland, Celestial Aviation Trading Limited. The Colombo High Commercial Court has banned the ship from leaving the country until June 16. The press service of “Aeroflot” RBC was told that the flight to Moscow was first delayed and then canceled “due to the lack of permission from the aviation authorities of Sri Lanka.” The plane was under arrest, a court hearing on the removal of which is scheduled for June 8. Flight passengers are accommodated in hotels in Sri Lanka.

The dispute between the lessor and Aeroflot is associated with EU sanctions against the Russian transport sector, which include a ban on the sale of aircraft, spare parts and equipment for them. Because of these restrictions, Russian airlines had to return the aircraft to lessors. Rosaviatsia recommended that air carriers not use leased aircraft for flights abroad. In March, Russia allowed to register such aircraft in the country for use on domestic flights.

Read on RBC Pro Pro Music, dance, tongue twisters: what will help improve brain function Articles Pro Boring, and even difficult: 6 myths about cycling Articles Pro What do Russians buy on Wildberries: the ranking of the largest suppliers Research Pro The US market has reached a fair assessment. Rule 20 says so Articles Pro Let's break through: three keys to success in strategic planning Articles Pro Import substitution in Brazil has revived the growth of corruption. How it happened Articles Pro How to stop being afraid and fall in love with inflation Articles Pro Tax nuances: what you need to keep in mind when starting a business in Armenia

Источник rbc.ru

The authorities of Sri Lanka brought to the streets of the capital, the city of Colombo, military equipment and army forces, writes TheAssociated Press (AP). This happened after clashes between government supporters and opposition protesters took place in the country.

On the evening of May 9, a curfew was introduced in the country due to increased cases of vandalism and looting. According to AP, the military received an order to open fire on violators. Despite this, some protesters again gathered in front of the president's office to continue the demonstrations that began more than three weeks ago.

The protests in the country are connected with the protracted economic crisis in the country, coupled with a shortage of goods. Prime Minister Mahindu Rajapaksa, amid protests, resigned earlier this week. He was evacuated from his residence in a military helicopter, according to the AP, the military is sheltering him at a naval base.

At least eight people have already died in clashes, more than 200 have been injured.

Read on RBC Pro Pro How an accountant created India's largest bank for the poor at a cost of $6 billion » IT infrastructure for Russian branches Instructions Pro Casting, startups, caution – what you need to know about business in India Articles Pro The EU wants to disconnect Sber from SWIFT. What this means for the bank and its stock Forecasts Pro Hidden Resources and Wasted Costs: How to Improve Your Financial Situation Lecture Pro Not all international business is gone. How to build communications for the remaining Instructions

Amid mass protests and riots, the Foreign Ministry recommended that Russian tourists in Sri Lanka not leave their hotels. Russian tourists are strongly advised not to leave their places of residence until the curfew is lifted. Travel to the airport is possible with a passport and an air ticket, which must be presented at the request of the police at checkpoints, — the agency said in a statement.

Article content Tags Subscribe to Telegram

Источник rbc.ru