A discussion between the visiting team of officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and representatives from the government and opposition regarding the IMF bailout programme is scheduled to be held today (11) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

Ministers of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Chief of Staff to the President Sagala Ratnayake, Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake, Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardena are expected to participate.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Secretariat stated that opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, National People’s Power leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) R. Sampanthan have also been invited to participate in the discussion.

However, it has been announced that only the Tamil National Alliance will participate in this and that the opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake have informed that they will not participate in the discussions.

Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe explained that the opposition representatives had been invited to this discussion to give an opportunity to the ideologies presented by the opposition regarding the International Monetary Fund.

However, SJB MP Dr. Harsha De Silva says that he did not ask for a discussion with the IMF representatives, but a discussion with the creditors.