Will resign on July 13 as previously announced, Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa officially informs PM Wickremesinghe

Colombo, July 11

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday officially conveyed to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that he would resign on July 13 as previously announced, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Rajapaksa said he would resign on Wednesday after protesters on Saturday stormed his official residence, calling for him to step down over his handling of the country’s dire economic crisis.

“President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has officially informed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that he will be resigning as previously announced,” a statement from the PM’s Office said.

The cash-starved island nation witnessed a tumultuous day on Saturday when protesters broke into Rajapaksa’s official residence in Colombo. The protesters were seen in the bedrooms and splashing around in the swimming pool of the President’s House.