Minister Nalinda Jayatissa defended President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s foreign travel expenses in Parliament, explaining how three overseas visits cost only Rs. 1.8 million during his five month tenure.
“There are different types of presidential visits—state visits, duty visits, invitational visits, and personal visits,” Jayatissa said, responding to skepticism over the low expenditure.
“Some MPs struggle to understand how our President’s trips over the past five months cost only Rs. 1.8 million, yet they have no issue with Mahinda Rajapaksa spending Rs. 3,572 million,” he said, adding that the real question should be how such large sums were spent by previous administrations.
The Minister gave the following breakdown of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s overseas visits:
• India visit: Rs. 1.22 million, including Rs. 312,350 for airfare and diplomatic gifts.
• China visit: Airfare was covered by the Chinese government, with only Rs. 386,000 spent by the Presidential Secretariat.
• UAE visit: Airfare was covered, with total expenses at Rs. 279,971.
Additionally, the President receives a per diem for such visits. Jayatissa revealed that Dissanayake returned his allowances—USD 2,055 from the China visit and USD 960 from the Dubai visit—back to the Secretariat.
“Ask Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, or Gotabaya Rajapaksa if they ever returned a cent of their per diem,” he challenged.
He further stated that a refund is expected from the India tour and argued that Parliament should be questioning how Rs. 3,572 million was spent under previous administrations, rather than scrutinizing cost-saving measures. (Newswire)
