President wants full implementation of 19th Amendment - Foreign Minister

COLOMBO (News 1st); With the passage of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution the powers of the President and Prime Minister will be shared, said Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC on Monday (5).

Most of the structures introduced by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution will return when the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution is passed, he told reporters in Colombo.

"The President himself did not want to retain the transitional provision which was earlier envisaged for the current President. He said he does not want it and wants to go for the full implementation of the 19th Amendment," he said.

The Foreign Minister said Sri Lanka is in the process of preparing new legislation to replace the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act and to balance National Security, Human Rights, and Human Liberty in line with the best practices accepted internationally and regionally.