Absence of Finance Minister an insult to Parliament: Kiriella

COLOMBO (News 1st); Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Lakshman Kiriella alleges that the absence of Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa at the Parliament for the 5th day of the second reading of the budget proposal is an insult to the Parliamentary tradition. Speaking during the Parliamentary debate on the second reading of the Appropriation Bill of 2022, the SJB MP said that the Minister was absent yesterday (18) and today (19), which creates the issue of not having the relevant authority to answer the questions raised with regard to the Budget proposal. In response, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said that although the Chief organizer of the Opposition alleges that the Finance Minister is not at the Parliament, he has not presented his questions to the Parliament.