Parliament will convene on July 2 and 3 to debate and vote on proposals regarding the implementation of foreign debt restructuring agreements.
Chief Government Whip, Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga told the Sunday Observer that the Committee on Parliamentary Business decided on Friday to debate the Resolution for the Implementation of External Debt Restructuring Agreements on these dates.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is due to make a special statement to Parliament on July 2 regarding the implementation of these agreements. Following his address, the debate on the subject will continue, said Minister Ranatunga.
He said that national attention is focused on initiating the debt restructuring mechanism. During the committee meeting, Chief Opposition Whip, MP Lakshman Kiriella, called for a two-day debate.
Minister Ranatunga said that after Cabinet approval of the IMF-related External Debt Restructuring Agreements, Ministers and MPs would have the opportunity to review them in Parliament, with a vote on July 3. Attendance for all ruling party ministers on this day is mandatory.
The resolution seeks a Parliamentary debate to implement the final agreement reached on June 26, 2024, between Sri Lanka and the Official Creditor Committee (OCC). This includes an amendment to loan agreements with the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM Bank), also dated June 26, 2024.
