Govt to present bill for recovery of illegally acquired assets on April 8

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that a bill aimed at recovering illegally acquired assets will be presented to the Parliament on April 8 by the government.

Speaking at a public meeting in the Welipitiya area of Matara, the President emphasized that individuals involved in fraud and corruption would not be allowed to govern the country again.

“How does a government punish the corrupt? How does a government punish criminals? What is the government’s role? There are several laws for the government. On April 8, we will pass legislation in Parliament to recover stolen and illegally accumulated wealth. This bill is not about personal revenge but about upholding the law and restoring sovereignty in our motherland,” he stated.

Additionally, the President announced that proposals for the 2026 Budget would be accepted starting from June this year.

Meanwhile, speaking on the country’s economic recovery, President Dissanayake highlighted that several foreign-funded projects abandoned due to the economic crisis would be recommenced. 

“The Japanese government halted 11 projects that had been funded through loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). However, they have now agreed to resume all 11 projects, which indicates economic stability.”

He further stated that the construction of the Kadawatha-Mirigama highway section, which was financed by a loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, was suspended when the country declared bankruptcy.

“This suspension resulted in an estimated loss of Rs. 56,000 million, while an interest payment of Rs. 21 million per day was required to be paid to a Chinese company. Following discussions with the Chinese government during our recent visit, an agreement was reached to resume the halted projects, including the expressway, and to initiate 76 new projects. This is a clear indication that the economy is stabilizing,” the President added.