MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2022) Sri Lanka is a safe tourist destination, all protests of the past months have been taken under control, Sri Lankan Minister of Transport and Highways and Minister of Mass Media Bandula Gunawardena said on Saturday in an interview with Sputnik.
"Yeah, now 100% safe because last few months some political protests are there. People protesting on roads. Now everything finished. Former president give up that presidentship, after that parliament voted for former prime minister. He control everything. Calm and quiet peace there. Political stability is going on," Gunawardena said.
The minister added that tourism is a key sphere for Sri Lanka and tourists from all around the world are very welcome there.
On July 9, Colombo, Sri Lanka's commercial capital, was rocked by thousand-strong protests, caused by public discontent over the government's inefficiency in addressing the economic crisis. Few days after the protests erupted, then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dropped his office and fled the country. On July 20, the parliament elected Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new president.
Sri Lanka has been suffering from the worst economic crisis in its history since gaining independence in 1948. The dire economic situation was caused by shortages of foreign Currency as tourist flows dried up during the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing the country from purchasing enough fuel. The crisis triggered a sharp rise in energy prices and the subsequent shortage of food and basic necessities, as well as constant power outages.
In April, the country defaulted on its external debt obligations, with its debt reaching $51 billion. According to the International Monetary Fund's estimates, Sri Lanka's economy is expected to contract by 8.7% in 2022 and inflation recently exceeded 60%.
