New Delhi: Sri Lankan Parliamentary Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywarden on Friday officially announced that Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned from the President's post and his resignation has also been accepted. "Gotabaya has legally resigned" with effect from Thursday, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana told reporters, as quoted by news agency PTI. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will act as President until a new President is elected, he informed, adding that the parliamentary members will be invited on Saturday to elect the new President.
The speaker urged the public to allow a peaceful environment for all MPs to take part in the process which should finish within seven days.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned as Sri Lankan President on Thursday after landing in Singapore from the Maldives. "The Speaker of Sri Lanka's Parliament has received President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's resignation letter," Sri Lankan Speaker's office said on Thursday.
Rajapaksa landed in Singapore from the Maldives after he fled Sri Lanka when thousands of protesters stormed his official residence last week, blaming him for the unprecedented economic crisis. Rajapaksa, who enjoys immunity from prosecution while he is president, fled the island nation without resigning to avoid the possibility of arrest by the new government.
However, Singapore's Foreign Ministry said Rajapaksa was allowed entry into Singapore on a private visit. "Rajapaksa has been allowed entry into Singapore on a private visit. He has not asked for asylum and neither has he been granted any asylum. Singapore generally does not grant requests for asylum," a statement said.
On Thursday, Ranil Wickremesinghe also asked the Speaker to nominate a Prime Minister who was acceptable to both the government and Opposition.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Army in a statement urged the protesters to desist from violence immediately or be prepared to face the "consequences", warning that the security forces were "legitimately empowered" to exercise force.
The President's resignation came on a day when the protesters announced they would end their occupation of official buildings, including the presidential palace, presidential secretariat, and the Prime Minister's office. The agitating citizens have demanded that the interim government only consist of politicians acceptable to them.
Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel, and other essentials.
Last week, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said Sri Lanka is now a bankrupt country.