Harsha de Silva accuses President Dissanayake of shifting stance on executive power

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Member of Parliament Harsha de Silva has accused President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of abandoning his long-held opposition to the concentration of executive power.

Joining an opposition protest in Fort, de Silva recalled that President Dissanayake had previously demonstrated at the exact same location against power consolidation moves by past administrations.

He emphasised that opposition forces had resisted the 18th and 20th Amendments for granting excessive authority to the regime, and declared that they remain equally opposed to the proposed 22nd Amendment for the same reason.

"We were all against the 18th and 20th amendments that gave excessive power to the regime and are against the 22nd which does the same. But power seems to have changed the old beliefs," de Silva said.