In a statement to Parliament, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya emphasized the government's commitment to conducting public service without burdening taxpayers, citing a notable reduction in foreign travel expenses by the current administration.
Prime minister Amarasuriya revealed detailed figures on the foreign travel expenses incurred by former presidents from 2010 to 2024, underscoring the significant contrast in spending between different administrations:
- 2010 – 2014 (Mahinda Rajapaksa): Rs. 3,572 million
- 2015 – 2019 (Maithripala Sirisena): Rs. 384 million
- 2020 – 2022 (Gotabaya Rajapaksa): Rs. 126 million
- 2023 – 2024 (Ranil Wickremesinghe): Rs. 533 million
- 2024 Sep – 2025 Feb (Anura Kumara Dissanayake): Rs. 1.8 million
According to Prime minister Amarasuriya, the current administration under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has made a remarkable cut in foreign travel spending, with only Rs. 1.8 million spent over five months, marking a stark contrast to the high expenditures of previous governments.
“We were asked not to be symbolic, but to show through action, not just words. Here, we have done exactly that,” Prime Minister Amarasuriya stated, underlining the government's dedication to fiscal responsibility.
The Prime Minister further noted that the highest annual foreign travel expenditure occurred in 2013 during Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidency, totaling Rs. 1,144 million in a single year.
This reduction in foreign travel costs is being presented as part of the current administration’s broader efforts to manage public finances prudently and prioritize the welfare of the people without imposing additional financial burdens on taxpayers.
