SL – Maldives ties strong - Minister

Sandasen Marasinghe

The agreements and relationship between Maldives and Sri Lanka remain unchanged despite changes in the Maldivian government, Maldivian Human Resources, Youth and Sports Minister Mohamed Hussain Shareef said.

Shareef said that the people and political parties are of the view that the two countries should further strengthen ties.

Addressing a press conference at the High Commission of Maldives in Colombo yesterday, he said that that the Maldivian government is functioning without any problem despite Parliamentary sittings being adjourned.

He said the situation is under control though the MPD had attempted to create chaos.

Shareef said that the budget for 2012 was passed by the Maldivian Parliament in December last year.

“Allocations for government expenditure have already been made.”

He added that it was constitutional for Parliament to meet on March 1 at which the President delivers a speech in respect of the policy of the government for the year. Shareef said the coalition led by the MPD attempted to crate chaos by protests and the Speaker suspended Parliament.

He added that the Speaker could hold Parliament sittings at any of the days and the President could deliver his policy speech on that day.

He said that whatever changes in politics in the Maldives, the relationships and agreements between Sri Lanka and Maldives remain the same.

Spokesperson for the President’s Office of Maldives, Abbas Adil Riza and Maldives High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Hussain Shihab also spoke.