The economic and dollar crisis was caused by the COVID pandemic

"Economic crisis is not my or the fault of the Government"

The President clarifies facts..!

The economy cannot afford the cost of importing fuel and coal

The preference to renewable energy

(Sujith Mangala De Silva)

President Gotabhaya Rajapaksha pointed out that the country's economic crisis and the dollar shortage were caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and that not only he, but other world leaders too had to face this unfortunate situation.

Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksha, while stating that the decline in tourist arrivals and foreign employment earnings due to the COVID-19 pandemic had severely affected the dollar crisis a year after he came to power, pointed out that many planned activities could not be carried out due to this reason.

President Gotabhaya Rajapaksha made this observation at a special discussion with Editors and Heads of the media institutes at the President's House on Monday (27) where he further had a lengthy discussion about many topics including the present situation of the country. 

The President pointed out that US $ 360 million per month and US $ 3 billion per year have to be spent for import of fuel and coal respectively which are not affordable to the economy at all.

President Gotabhaya Rajapaksha who stressed that we should shift to renewable energy sources in order to get out of this predicament also stated that he will give priority to this requirement in the future and even though 800 projects have been made ready for renewable energy generation, only 150 responses have been received.