No need of reconvening old parliament: President

While stating that the 'law does not expect to do the impossible', President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today said that he had no intention whatsoever to reconvene the old parliament.

"Whatever the cause maybe, I have no hope of reconvening the old parliament," he said during a special discussion held with his Senior Advisor Lalith Weeratunga.

He said he had no legal power to convene Parliament after early June. "The law does not expect to do the impossible,' he said.

However, he said the National Election Commission has the total authority to decide the day of the election.

Commenting on the relaxation of the police curfew, he said it did not mean that the country was out of the danger of COVID-19.

"People should not violate health officials' instructions. The virus threat still remains. We have contained it but we need people's assistance to keep it that way," he said.

Responding to concerns over lifting curfew in some of the areas, President Rajapaksa said, "Some inquire as to why we can't keep delaying the relaxation of curfew. Fifty percent of the country's economy is based in the Western Province. Economic specialists opine that if we continue in this manner, it will have a grave impact on our economy. Even I would like it if we can keep the country completely locked down for another month. Imagine the impact it will make. Only the people can dismiss the concerns of the people. If we behave properly, we don't have any issues," he said. (Lahiru Pothmulla)