Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ajith P. Perera today asked Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make a public declaration on his assets and financial records.

He inquired that if former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had not committed any frauds, he should make a public announcement on his bank details and properties.

“The people can provide a judgment on him and his assets after this declaration,” the deputy minister told a news conference held at the Ministry.

He stated that former President Rajapaksa was attempting to make temples as political institutes and trying to use them to accomplish his political gains.

“We humbly request the former president not to use religious places for his political gains. We request him not to take away the culture and religion from religious places,” he said.

Meanwhile, the deputy minister said they were optimistic to obtain Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+) by the end of this year and the ban on fish exports by the European Union (EU) would be lifted.

“Some members of the EU had explained that if Sri Lanka could follow relevant regulations, we could easily acquire GSP+. We also hope it will lift the ban on fish exports immediately,” he said. (Yoshitha Perera)