Sri Lanka former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who fled the country in early July following a wave of protests will be returning to Sri Lanka on August 24 or 25, a family member and former diplomat said.
Ex-Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga, who is a cousin of the former president, told EconomyNext on Wednesday August 17 that Rajapaksa will return to Sri Lanka next week.
“It is confirmed that the former President will be returning to the island on 24 or 25th of this month. If nothing changes, he will be here.
“According to the constitution, he will receive protection and other facilities. I assume a house will be prepared for him here as well,” said Weeratunga.
Former President Rajapaksa, who fled the country after protestors stormed his official residence in Colombo, is currently in Bangkok, Thailand. He arrived there on August 12 after a brief stay in Singapore.
Rajapaksa resigned from the presidency after mass protests against the worst currency crisis in the history of the island’s intermediate regime central bank.