EU takes Hard-Line with Lankan Govt, After Attack on Peaceful Protestors

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Council of the European Union in a strongly worded statement on Friday (22) said that the EU expects the new Government of Sri Lanka to work in full compliance with its GSP+ commitments.

Following Sri Lanka’s Parliament swift action to elect Ranil Wickremesinghe as new President of the country in the wake of President Rajapaksa’s resignation, the EU underlined the need of upholding freedom of opinion and expression and individual rights of Sri Lankan citizens in the process of a democratic, peaceful and orderly transition.

In the light of reports of unnecessary violence against protestors, the EU stressed the importance of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association and condemns the unwarranted use of force against peaceful demonstrators.