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The Sri Lankan president has convened the European Parliament to meet next week as pressure grows to solve the turmoil triggered by the dismissal of the government last week, announced Thursday the Prime Minister of his choice.
President Maithripala Sirisena made this decision one day after meeting with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, who had previously warned of possible violence if lawmakers were not summoned immediately.
On Friday, Sirisena dismissed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his cabinet, later declaring to reporters that he had acted in part because Wickremesinghe and a cabinet colleague were behind a conspiracy. murder against him. The details of the alleged conspiracy were not disclosed and Wickremesinghe denies the prosecution.
Sirisena had replaced him by former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa and had suspended Parliament until 16 November, ostensibly to give Rajapaksa time to muster enough support to survive any vote. of censorship.
Wickremesinghe had called for the convocation of Parliament, saying that he still controlled the majority of lawmakers.
Sirisena's actions have triggered a power struggle and some observers call it a constitutional crisis.
In an address to state television, Rajapaksa said at a meeting at his office that Sirisena had decided to convene Parliament on November 5.
Sirisena was under increasing pressure from political opponents, human rights groups and foreign governments, including the United States, to convene Parliament and end the crisis. .
Supporters of Sirisena have been talking for weeks about an alleged assassination plot, but Sunday was the first time Sirisena publicly commented on it. According to police reports, Wickremesinghe and a cabinet colleague, former army commander Sarath Fonseka, were behind this case. The police did not arrest anyone.
Tensions have grown between Sirisena and Wickremesinghe for some time, as the president did not approve the economic reforms introduced by the prime minister. Sirisena also criticized the investigations of soldiers accused of human rights violations during the long civil war that ended Sri Lanka in 2009.
A shootout against the oil minister on Saturday killed two people and injured one in the first acts of violence related to the political turmoil.
On Tuesday, thousands of Sri Lankans demonstrated in the capital to demand that Sirisena summon Parliament immediately.
