Harini Amarasuriya appointed Sri Lanka’s new prime minister

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - Sri Lanka’s newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday appointed Harini Amarasuriya as the island country’s new prime minister amid a debilitating state of economy.

An academic and rights activist, Amarasuriya, a lawmaker from Dissanayake’s National People's Power (NPP), is Sri Lanka’s 16th prime minister, the local Daily Mirror reported.

She was sworn-in to the office by the president on Tuesday.

Her appointment came days after Dissanayake won the presidential election, securing more than 5.74 million votes.

The Marxist-leaning Sinhalese politician defeated outgoing President Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa in the first elections held since Sri Lanka went bankrupt in April 2022.

Bimal Rathnayake, a senior aide to the president, told Anadolu on Monday a new Cabinet will take oath on Tuesday.

The number of the minister will be around 15 until a new parliament is elected, he added.

Soon after his oath-taking ceremony on Monday, Dissanayake visited religious places of Buddhists, Muslims as well as Christians.

Talking to reporters after his meeting with Dissanayake, Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith said the president has assured him of his commitment to thoroughly investigate the Easter attacks and to take steps toward “uncovering the truth.”

In April 2021, a series of deadly blasts rocked Sri Lanka, killing more than 300 people.