Sri Lanka is reportedly in its greatest economic crisis since gaining independence from Britain in 1948, and its president claims he has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to assist his cash-strapped country import fuel.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa claimed that his conversation with Vladimir Putin was “extremely beneficial.”
It follows the weekend warning from Sri Lanka’s energy minister that the nation would soon run out of gasoline.
Hundreds of protesters demonstrated against the government on Wednesday in Colombo, the country’s capital.
“I requested an offer of credit support to import fuel,” Mr Rajapaksa tweeted in reference to his conversation with the Russian leader.
Mr Rajapaksa also said he had “humbly made a request” for flights between Moscow and Colombo to resume, after the Russian flag carrier Aeroflot suspended services last month.
“We unanimously agreed that strengthening bilateral relations in sectors such as tourism, trade and culture was paramount in reinforcing the friendship our two nations share,” he added.
The country has already purchased oil from Russia in recent months to help bolster fuel supplies during the crisis, and the government has signalled that it is willing to buy more from the energy-rich country.
Attempts by Mr Rajapaksa to resolve Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis in more than 70 years, including securing financial support from India and China, have so far failed to end weeks of shortages of fuel, power, food and other essential items.
On Sunday, energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera said the country only had enough petrol left for less than a day under regular demand.
Last week, authorities suspended sales of petrol and diesel for non-essential vehicles in an attempt to preserve its dwindling fuel stocks.
On Thursday, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka raised its key interest rates by one percentage point to tackle the soaring cost of living in the country.
The lending rate was raised to 15.5%, while the deposit rate was increased to 14.5%, the highest in 21 years.
It comes as annual inflation hit a record high of 54.6% in June as the cost of food rose by more than 80%.
Hundreds of protesters had a day earlier on Wednesday gathered near the parliament building in Colombo as they launched what they called the “final push” to remove Mr Rajapaksa’s government.
This week, the UK reinstated advice against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka because of civil unrest in the country.
The Foreign Office warned holidaymakers could encounter “demonstrations, roadblocks and violent unrest at short notice”.
Visiting countries against Foreign Office advice would be likely to invalidate one’s travel insurance, the Association of British Insurers said.
Source: BBC
