SJB to lay down conditions to support domestic debt restructuring?

By Yohan Perera   

The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will not support the domestic debt restructuring programme which is to be presented to Parliament next Saturday July 1 2023 if certain conditions are not met, MP Harsha de Silva said yesterday.   

 “We will not support a domestic debt restructuring programme if the government goes ahead with a debt haircut which is more or less writing off debts. We also stress that the depositors should be safeguarded. We have already said that the government should not lay its hands on the EPF and ETF. We will only support them if the government agrees to tow the line which we have drawn up,” Dr. de Silva told a media briefing.    

At the same time he said the opposition had heard of a plan by the government to present the domestic debt restructuring plan to the cabinet on June 28, refer it to the public finance committee on June 29 and then get Parliament approval for it on Saturday. 

 
“President Ranil Wickremesinghe spoke to my self and the Leader of the Opposition over the phone regarding the matter,” he said but he fell short of divulging the details on phone conversation.   

He also said all opposition parties will meet today to discuss the development.

   
Meanwhile MP Dullas Alahapperuma said the opposition parties will meet up today to discuss the situation. However he said things are uncertain till the party leaders meet on Tuesday. “ We feel that the government is preparing for a hurried move but all depends on the party leaders meeting,” he told Daily Mirror.

• All opposition parties will meet today to discuss the development