Foreign Minister draws line between personal and official travel in Wickremesinghe probe

Thursday, 28 August 2025 04:16 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath notes State-sector circulars allow internal travel, but private international trips financed by public funds constitute misuseOpines case marks visible shift towards accountability for political elites Says Govt. welcomes Opposition realignments, highlighting law enforcement now applies regardless of political status

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath yesterday clarified that using public resources for private overseas travel cannot be equated with domestic personal travel, amid scrutiny of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s UK trip.

Speaking at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing, he pointed out that while State-sector circulars allow certain internal uses of official vehicles, financing a private overseas trip remains a misuse of public funds.

“Attending a funeral or travelling within Sri Lanka is not comparable to booking seats on an international flight. That is wrong,” he said.

The comments come amid a high-profile investigation into Wickremesinghe’s alleged misuse of public funds for a personal visit to the UK in September 2023 amid a foreign exchange crisis to attend his wife’s graduation ceremony. Investigators argue the trip, tacked onto official travel to Cuba and the US, was improperly funded using State money.

Wickremesinghe disputes the charges, maintaining all expenses were privately covered.

He was arrested and remanded last Friday, becoming the first former Sri Lankan Head of State to face such charges, and was released on bail on Tuesday, but is now hospitalised in stable condition following his Court appearance.

Herath noted that the probe began following a formal complaint and includes witness testimonies. “The public expects the law to apply equally. This process is visible to all for the first time in Sri Lanka, and people particularly appreciate that,” he said.

“This case marks a significant shift in Sri Lanka’s pursuit of accountability among its political elite,” he added.

Responding to queries on new alliances by the Opposition parties, Herath said the Government is quite happy about the movement, as it would help the public to clearly identify politicians who are concerned about their corrupt activities in the past. “All of them who have gathered knows how they have ruled this country before and they are now concerned because, for the first time, law and order is served irrespective of their political affiliation or status in society,” Herath said.