Speaker Karu Jayasuriya informed the Parliament today that the COPE report on the Central Bank bond issue will be forwarded the Attorney General. 

‍The Speaker stated that while the Members of Parliament had sought his opinion with regard to the next course of action on the report, he believes that a decision should be reached by the MPs themselves and that if they agree he would send the report to the AG.

The MPs had then agreed to forwarding the COPE report to the Attorney General. 

The parliamentary debate on the report of the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE) regarding the controversial bond issue, commenced yesterday (25). 

The special COPE report was presented to the Parliament by the Chairman of the Committee On Public Enterprises MP Sunil Handunnetti on October 28, 2016.

The 55-page COPE report recommends that former Governor of the Central Bank Arjuna Mahendran should be held directly responsible over the bond transaction and that legal action should be taken against him and responsible individuals. 

The report also observed financial irregularities in the Central Bank bond issue and recommended to recover the losses incurred from those involved.

President Maithripala Sirisena has said that he will appoint a Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate the bond issue and recommend actions.