Day 11 of the committee stage debate on the 2022 Budget will get underway today.
Parliament is due to debate on the expenditure heads of the Ministries of Highways, Transport and Labour and three other State Ministries.
Parliament is due to convene at 9.30am while the Budget debate will begin at 10am.
Expenditure heads of the Ministries of Defence and Public Security and State Ministries of National Security and Disaster Management, Home Affairs and Community Police Services were taken up for debate in Parliament yesterday.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Minister Udaya Gammanpila said there was no sufficient evidence to confirm that former President Maithripala Sirisena was aware of the 2019 Easter Sunday attack.
Minister Gammanpila said there was no justifiable reason to enforce the law against the former President in connection with the Easter attacks.
The Minister claimed third parties revealed to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday attacks that the former President should have known of the attacks and not that the former President had any direct knowledge.
He said this was because the State Intelligence Service reported to the Secretary of Defence adding the Defence Secretary was responsible to inform the President.
Minister Gammanpila said the former Defence Secretary claimed they never expected a major attack even though an attack was expected.
The Minister said the PCoI recommended to the Attorney General to look into the legality in taking action against former President Sirisena.
He said charges could be filed against the AG if he had not filed a case while having sufficient evidence.
Meanwhile, Commenting on the Easter attacks, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Parliamentarian Premnath C Dolawatte said the then government should have taken action against the then-opposition if they were set to benefit from the attack.
MP Dolawatte claimed all members of the former administration were aware of the attack.
The Parliamentarian said the opposition cannot save face by passing the blame to the government.
