On Monday 29 October, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) urged for the immediate reconvening of Sri Lanka's parliament as there has been a sudden deterioration of the situation in Sri Lanka over the weekend. On Friday 26, the country's President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who refuses to step down, and appointed the former president, Mahinda Rajapakse, in his place.
"The sudden deterioration of the situation in Sri Lanka over the weekend puts the country at risk of instability and unrest", the EEAS spokesperson stated in a press release.
Saying that the EU ambassador on the ground, Tung-Lai Margue, had met Sirisena, to express "our expectation that a solution respectful of the country's constitution would be found quickly", the spokesperson said that to this end, "it is important that the president allows the immediate reconvening of the parliament so that the elected representatives of the Sri Lankan people can fulfil their duties".
The discharged prime minister wants an emergency session of the parliament (which was suspended by the president until 16 November) to prove he still holds the majority. The suspension of any meeting of the 225 parliamentarians could give the appointed prime minister the time needed to garner a majority.
"In the current context of tensions and uncertainties, it is of utmost importance that violence and provocation are avoided and that law enforcement agencies act with restraint", the EEAS spokesperson stated. The body guards of a minister from the discharged government opened fire on the partisans of the president, leaving one person dead and two wounded. The speaker of the Sri Lankan parliament, Karu Jayasuriya, has meanwhile warned of "a huge blood bath", if the parliamentarians are not consulted for this change of government.
Over the past weekend, the ambassadors of the EU, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania and the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom urged all parties to act fully in line with the Sri Lankan constitution, to refrain from using violence, to follow the regular institutional procedure, and to respect the independence of the institutions and freedom of the media. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)