16 December 2018 11:59 pm
Otherwise, he said he still remained firm in his stance that Mr. Wickremesinghe should not be given the premiership again even if all 225 MPs voted in favour of him.
Full Statement:
I made a statement that I will not give Ranil Wickremesinghe the post of Prime Minister even if a request is made by all the 225 Parliamentarians and it is my own personal political opinion, and my view is still the same, but I have decided to invite Ranil Wickremesinghe as I am a leader, who respects parliamentary tradition and democracy, said President Maithripala Sirisena.
The President made these observations addressing the new Prime Minister and members of the United National Front at the Presidential Secretariat this (16) morning, the swearing in of the new Prime Minister.
According to the constitution, the parliament or the judiciary do not have the authority to nominate a Prime Minister, the President said and added that the executive power is in the hands of the President. However, I decided to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister when 117 MPs extended support to him and I agreed to their decision as a leader who respected the moral and parliamentary tradition, said President Sirisena.
The President said that he took all the steps, including the dissolution of the Parliament, prorogue the Parliament, remove the Prime Minister and the appointment of a new Prime Minister, not according to his sole discretion, but after receiving the advices of legal experts, and further said that those steps were taken for the betterment of the country and there was no intention to violate the constitution of the country.
He said that he believed the best solution for the current political turmoil was to go for an election and seek the opinion of the people as the opinion of 15.5 million voters in the country is a more powerful indicator and the epitome of democracy and it is much stronger than the opinion of 122 Members of Parliament. Hence he issued the gazette notification to dissolve Parliament and call for elections, he said.
Even though establishing independent commissions through 19th amendment was a good thing, but on the other hand it has resulted in a political turmoil said the President. He added that postponing the amendment to the Act related to Commission of Bribery and Corruption for punishing those who are guilty of the treasury bond scam and to recover stolen money, not allocating ministerial portfolios under a scientific method although it was a campaign promise, the massive fraud in the Central Bank bond issue, losing the support of the Bhikku society, imprisoning soldiers and other short sighted activities were carried on in this government for the past four years where he was thoroughly dissatisfied. He said that all these had impacted severely on the decision taken on the political arena lately.
whichever the accusation may be upon him he has taken decisions on behalf of the country and the people said the President. Some says that an impeachment motion will be taken against him, he pointed out and said that even he was imprisoned he would continue to work and take decisions with pure thoughts on behalf of the country and the people and it will be written in the history in gold.
The President, recalling statements made by some speakers recently that he will be killed like Gaddafi by dragging away said that, no one had made such statements for any leader since the era of J.R. Jayewardene, who was a tough leader, the reason behind this was, if such statement was made, persons who are making those statements knew the depressing fate that they have to face, and he further said that those persons made such statements against him as a result of freedom and democracy he had established in the country.
President Sirisena further said that his expectation is to take forward the activities of the government without any conflict, and further said that creating of conflicts will prevent the progress of the country and said that to build the country for the future, a political movement free from corruption is needed in the country.
The President also said that the good governance concept, which was not succeeded and it totally destroyed and that could be achieved only through a political movement which loves the motherland, and know the significance of the local culture and core values of the society.
Later, Mr. Sajith Premadasa, addressing the gathering said that his group, including the UNP will not take actions at any time to bring an impeachment motion against the President, and their expectation is to take forward the activities of the government in collaboration with the President.