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Colambage confident of retaining GSP+ on eve of UNHCR sessions

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ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka is confident that the European Union will not withdraw the lucrative GSP Plus trade concession immediately as it has already addressed some concerns raised by the block on human rights, Foreign Ministry Secretary Jayanath Colombage said.

The Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) Plus – an annual trade concession worth over 500 million US dollars – has boosted Sri Lanka’s exports to EU member states. Sri Lanka lost access to GSP Plus in 2010 due to alleged human rights violations but regained it in 2016 after pledging to implement 27 international conventions.

However, Sri Lanka has failed to implement several commitments it had made to the EU and the bloc has warned that the concession could be withdrawn if the island nation fails to implement a few key demands including the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the release of long detained suspects under the PTA.

“We are fairly confident that the GSP Plus will not be withdrawn immediately because we have provided very credible, genuine answers to the queries made by the EU Commission,” Colombage told a media conference ahead of his visit to face United Nations Human Rights Council sessions starting on Monday (28) in Geneva.

“One of the main focuses of the EU was the PTA. Now we have done the amendment and it is before parliament. Hopefully, by Mar. 8-9 it will become the law of the country. So that is the concrete positive step we have taken.”

“They were also very concerned about long term detainees. Eighty-one detainees are already released and we will release more. These are all Sri Lankans languishing in a jail somewhere and it is not fair to keep them any longer.”

A loss of GSP+ will be a huge blow to cash-strapped Sri Lanka which is facing an unprecedented economic and debt crisis. The concession has helped Sri Lanka earn more US dollars at a time the island nation cannot borrow from international capital markets due to a series of rating downgrades by global rating agencies.

Foreign Minister G L Peiris has tabled the amendment to the PTA in parliament though a debate has yet to be scheduled. Though government critics say the move was to hoodwink the international community ahead of the next week UNHRC session and prevent the loss of GSP+, some government officials say the amendment will dilute the power of authorities to detain suspects for a long period.

“So we are confident that we will have the GSP Plus for a while. But it does not mean that we should take it lightly. We have to work very hard. We have to address the concerns and issues so that we will continue to derive the GSP Plus continuously.”

Colambage said the GSP+ has greatly helped fishermen, garment factories, and farmers more than the government.

“And if it is withdrawn, these will be the worst affected categories,” he said.



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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Kalutara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

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The National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Kalutara, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura effective from 0400hrs on 12th June 2026 to 0400hrs on 13th June 2026

Accordingly,
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Palindanuwara in the Kalutara district, Doluwa in the Kandy district, Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya district and Pelmadulla, Ayagama, Ratnapura, Godakawela, Kalawana and Nivitigala in the Ratnapura district

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Wife, counsel seek regular access to ex-Spy Chief Sallay held under President’s detention order

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Suresh Sallay

Wife of former State Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Suresh Sallay has asked CID Director retired SSP Shani Abeysekera to allow her, her family members and lawyers to visit her husband in the National Hospital, Colombo. Sallay’s counsel has also written to Abeysekera, asking for permission to visit the former spy held on a detention order signed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The text of Manori’s letter: “I respectfully request your assistance in granting me, and my daughter or alternatively my son, permission to visit my husband, Rtd. Major General Suresh Sallay, who is currently at the National Hospital, Colombo.

“As you are aware, my husband is presently engaged in a fast-unto-death campaign. His physical condition and emotional well-being are of deep concern to our family. During this difficult period, the presence and support of his immediate family are extremely important to him.

“I firmly believe that regular visits from me with our daughter or our son would help uplift his spirits, provide him with much-needed emotional strength, and may encourage him to reconsider continuing this course of action. Family support can play a vital role in preserving his mental and emotional health while he remains hospitalised.

“In view of these exceptional circumstances, I kindly request that permission be granted for either me and my daughter or my son to visit him daily during the period of his hospitalisation.

“I would be most grateful for your compassionate consideration of this request.”

“The text of the counsel’s letter: “I write in my capacity as Counsel for Rtd. Major General Suresh Sallay, who is presently under detention and admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo.

As you are aware, Major General Sallay has embarked on a fast-unto-death campaign, giving rise to serious concerns regarding his physical and mental well-being. In these circumstances, it is imperative that I be granted reasonable and regular access to my client during his hospitalisation.

As his legal representative, I have a professional obligation to monitor his condition and obtain instructions from him so that I may accurately apprise the relevant courts of his health status and any developments affecting his rights and welfare. Effective legal representation requires continuous communication with my client, particularly in light of the grave circumstances presently confronting him.

I also wish to respectfully highlight that Major General Sallay has placed explicit trust and confidence in me as his counsel. Indeed, I was the first person he contacted following his arrest.

Given the trust he reposes in me, I believe I am uniquely positioned to engage with him constructively and persuade him to discontinue this campaign and instead place his confidence in the legal remedies and judicial processes available to him.

For these reasons, I respectfully request that I be granted permission to visit my client on a daily basis during the period of his hospitalization.

Such access would not only facilitate the discharge of my professional responsibilities but may also contribute meaningfully towards safeguarding his health and encouraging a resolution through lawful and institutional means.

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CIABOC summons Yoshitha over his participation in British Navy training programme

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Yoshitha

Yoshitha Rajapaksa, who served as a Lieutenant in the Sri Lanka Navy, has now been summoned to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption next Tuesday (16) for questioning over his participation in a Royal Navy training programme in the United Kingdom outside established procedures.

The Commission is expected to record statements in relation to several complaints received regarding his recruitment and subsequent service in the Navy after he enlisted on December 14, 2006.

According to sources, the investigation focuses on allegations concerning the educational qualifications considered at the time of his enlistment, as well as foreign training opportunities he is said to have received while in service, which are suspected to have been granted in violation of due process.

The Bribery Commission has launched the inquiry under the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act, officials said.

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