President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (June 03) urged all political parties to unite to resurrect the country from its ongoing economic crisis.

He said even if all political parties in the parliament unite, none of them currently have a 50% voter base, and thus emphasized the need for unity among the parties, not solely for the purpose of elections, but to steer the country towards recovery from the ongoing economic crisis.

During his address at the “2023/2024 National Law Conference” held at Nuwara Eliya Grand Hotel, Wickremesinghe went on to highlight the loss of faith in elections and politics among the majority of the population, including the youth.

The president further emphasized that while the re-establishment of law and order, as well as political and economic stability, is crucial, it does not imply that Sri Lanka has completely overcome the crisis.

He emphasized the necessity of making significant commitments in the future to ensure the success of the entire process.

Reflecting on the economic challenges faced by the country ten months ago, the President mentioned that it was an unprecedented situation in history. He acknowledged the efforts made by himself and his team to alleviate the crisis during that time.

Addressing the event, President Wickremesinghe further said:

“This is the first time that the National Law Conference focuses on the process of economic restructuring and its development. I believe selecting Nuwara Eliya as our venue is fitting. It was here that Governor Edward Barnes resided, the man who played a significant role in promoting coffee cultivation and laying the foundation for our plantation economy.

“As we gather here today, it has been 10-11 months since our country faced a state of failure. However, we have managed to establish law and order, political stability, and economic stability in our nation. Yet, we are aware that this stability is only temporary, and we still have a long road ahead to overcome the challenges we face.

“Just ten months ago, our entire economy was severely tested, a situation unprecedented in our country’s history.

“Although our focus in the past 10 months has been on restoring law and order, political stability, and economic stability, it does not imply that we have completely overcome the economic crisis.

“Regrettably, the majority of our people have lost faith in elections and politics. Whether it is the Parliament, the judiciary, the media, private sector trade unions, or professionals, a vast number of citizens lack trust in the entire system that governs our nation.”