Protests and debates will not resolve the crisis - President

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the way forward for the country is not debating the reasons for the economic crisis or protests.

Speaking at the President's Residence at Kandy today (30), President Ranil Wickremesinghe pointed out that he emerged as the President and Dinesh Gunawardena was appointed Prime Minister as a result of the political turmoil, which emerged due to the economic crisis in the country. 

However, the President pointed out that different parties express different opinions regarding the economic crisis, with some claiming it's the fault of the former President's fertilizer policy, some blaming the administrations before, and others claiming that it is due to the Government not going to the IMF soon enough.

Therefore, he said that there is no purpose in debating about the reasons for the crisis or organizing protests for the country to move forward. 

The President also commented on the protests, saying that external forces joined the aragalaya under the guise of protests, thus leading Sri Lanka to experience facist terrorism for the first time.

Moreover, he reiterated his call for an all-party Government, emphasizing that all parties representing the Parliament should join forces to overcome the current economic crisis.