The Chairman of Sri Lanka’s National People’s Power Economic Council, Anil Jayantha, has downplayed media reports suggesting that the new government plans to divest a stake in SriLankan Airlines, asserting the airline’s importance to the country.
Earlier in the year, the government sought expressions of interest for the struggling airline but halted the process after failing to attract suitable buyers and decided to explore alternative divestment strategies post-presidential elections.
The recent presidential election resulted in leftist politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake becoming president, who has expressed intentions to honor the IMF’s $2.9bn bailout deal while opposing the sale of state-owned assets.
Jayantha clarified that while no drastic measures regarding the airline’s sale will be taken immediately, the final decision is expected to be deferred until next year, and the government will need to address the airline’s future financial requirements before moving forward.
