Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said yesterday that Russians and Ukrainians who have been in Sri Lanka since February 2022 will need to apply for a visa or leave the country.

The minister told the Daily Mirror that the free visa facility granted to them will not be extended and they must comply with immigration regulations by applying for fresh visas.

Meanwhile, according to the Tourist Development Authority, an estimated 300 to 400 Russians and Ukrainians have been staying in Sri Lanka since February 2022. The visa fee is approximately $50 for a 30-day stay in Sri Lanka.

Last week, the Immigration Department released a letter to the Tourism Ministry Secretary requesting him to notify the long term Ukrainian and Russian tourists living in Sri Lanka to leave by March 7.

The circular said that Ukrainians and Russians who were affected by the stoppage of flights to their home countries after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war were allowed to remain in Sri Lanka since February 28, 2022, a full two years, based on free visa extensions and without the imposition of penalties for expired tourist visas.

The letter further said that although the Russian-Ukraine conflict continues, there are now direct flights between Russia and Sri Lanka, while Ukrainians also have facilities to enter and leave Sri Lanka by air. Therefore, Russian and Ukrainian tourists belonging to the above categories have been given 14 days from 2024/02/23 to 2024/03/07 to leave this country.

The President who was unaware of this circular being released ordered a probe into how such a document could be released without prior cabinet approval and has sought an explanation from the Immigration Chief.

When asked about the letter instructing Russian and Ukrainian tourists to depart the country within 14 days, the minister acknowledged that it was wrong. He said that the directive should have either required them to obtain visas or leave the country.

Meanwhile, when asked whether the project that permitted visa-free entry to visitors from seven countries, including India, China and Russia, would be extended further, the minister expressed that the facility may not be extended.

The pilot project is set to remain in effect until March 31, 2024.

Leg-spinner Viyaskanth Vijayakanth was handed his Indian Premier League debut today after he was named in the Sunrisers Hyderabad playing XI against the Lucknow Super Giants. Vijayakanth was drafted into the Sunrisers squad after Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

The Supreme Court in another landmark judgment today held that State Minister Diana Gamage is disqualified to be a Member of Parliament and is thus not entitled to hold office as a Member of Parliament, as she was not a citizen of Sri Lanka.

Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security along with Controller General of the Department of Immigration and Emigration have been summoned before the Committee on Public Finance tomorrow, CoPF Chairman Dr. Harsha De Silva said today.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will hold a discussion shortly to decide on who will fill the national list slot that has fallen vacant as a result of the Supreme Court decision that Diana Gamage cannot function as an MP as she is not a citizen of Sri Lanka, party General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara said today.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) founder Basil Rajapaksa reasserted yesterday that his party still believes the general election should precede the presidential elections but President Ranil Wickremesinghe has a contrasting stand, according to an informed source of the party.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed that the enhancement of the rural economy pivots on agricultural advancement. He highlighted the pivotal role of dedicated government officials at the grassroots level in ensuring the success of various government initiatives aimed at rural development, notably the agricultural modernization program.

A deal struck by Sri Lanka with IVS-GBS-VFS Global, a private contractor, is worth 840 million dollars over its 12-year lifetime, opposition legislator S M Marikkar said in parliament. The firm was charging 18.5 dollars per visa and a 5 to 7 dollar ‘convenience fee’ on top of the government visa fee from tourists trying to enter Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said he has objected to fees charged from foreign tourists by VFS Global, a private company, though he has not resigned from cabinet.

Sri Lanka’s Public Security Minister Tiran Alles who is also in charge of visa issuance under the Department of Immigration and Emigration defended the newly appointed visa facilitating agency VFS-led consortium, new visa system, and accused sabotage attempts by a few handful immigration officials for a recent controversy that has gone viral in social media.

A revision application filed by Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe challenging the legality of the enjoining order issued by the Colombo District Court preventing him from functioning as the acting chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was today dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

Indo-Pacific Regional Director of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ben Mellor met NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the JVP Head Office this afternoon.

Chief Opposition Whip MP Lakshman Kiriella raised concerns in Parliament today over the newly introduced visa issuance system at the Katunayake Airport, claiming that the Parliament was not informed of the decision on the charges of global visa processing service, VFS Global.

Sri Lanka tourism witnessed a drop in momentum in April with the number of international visitors falling below the 200,000 mark for the first time this year.

Uncertainty looms over the relaunch of the Japan -financed light rail project (LRT) even after the country’s debt restructuring process is concluded since Japan has decided not to discuss it , according to an official of the Japanese government.

Around 15 Opposition MPs are ready to support a Bill that would include legislation related to rapid development of the country and the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Bill is to be presented to Parliament by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 08.

The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated slightly against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (May 06) compared to last week. According to Seylan Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar have dropped from Rs. 290.90 to Rs. 290.75 and from Rs. 301.40 to Rs. 301.25, respectively.

Action will be taken against the person who caused a disturbance at the visa issuing section at the Katunayake Airport, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said today. He told a news conference that steps will also be taken against the officers who recorded the incident.

Around 22 persons, including 11 females, have been arrested following a tense situation at a protest in Anuradhapura. The tense situation was reported after a group of unemployed graduates surrounded the North Central Provincial Council building in protest, seeking solutions to their demands.

The Japanese government has finalized a plan to provide Sri Lanka with a vessel equipped with underwater sonar for detecting the location of other vessels in order to improve the country’s oceanographic survey capabilities, according to Japanese Deputy Press Secretary Kaneko Mariko.

The Government of India has decided to bear the cost towards applicable taxes and other charges to the tune of over LKR 25 million per month for a period of one year for the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in India and Kankesanthurai (KKS).