Sri Lankan President says he's willing to form interim government to resolve economic crisis

Colombo [Sri Lanka], April 25 (ANI): Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday said that he is willing to take immediate steps to form an interim government to curb and resolve the ongoing economic crisis in the country.
He conveyed this message to the Mahanayake of the three Chapters who are high-ranking Buddhist monks overseeing and regulating the Buddhist clergy in Theravada Buddhist countries, reported Daily Mirror.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka has slipped into a dire economic crisis due to debt troubles, liquidity problems, and minimum foreign reserves leading to long power outages, and scarcity of fuel impacting manufacturing industries and the middle class. A series of protests can also be witnessed in the country as the citizens demand the resignation of Gotabya Rajapaksa for his inability to control the situation.
The Sri Lanka President has also agreed to present a new Constitution if the Parliament approves of it, Daily Mirror reported citing Ven. Medagama Dhammananda Thera, the Chief Registrar of the Asgiri Chapter.
Earlier, Mahanayaka Theras had urged the President, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and other parliament members to take necessary action to bring order to the country. He added that failure to do so will force the Mahanayaka Theras to issue a Sangha Convention.
The Mahanayaka Theras of Asgiri, Malwathu, Ramanya, and Amarapura chapters issued a statement insisting on the appointment of a multi-party Cabinet, by repealing the 20th Amendment, which removed checks and balances between the legislature and the executive and to refrain from suppressing mass protests, Daily Mirror reported.
Earlier, Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa asserted that if an interim government is formed, it should be led by him only.
Sri Lanka is gripped by one of the worst-hit economic crises since the country gained independence in 1948.
Due to energy shortages, some parts of Sri Lanka have rolled blackouts while the country's foreign debt is estimated at USD 51 billion. (ANI)