A last-gasp attempt to block Sri Lanka’s request for a resumption of GSP+ concessions may succeed when the European Parliament considers a new resolution on Thursday April 27, informed sources said on Tuesday.
Last week, on April 20, the European Parliament Group (EUG) gave notice of a resolution opposing GSP + concessions. According to last week’s Sunday Times, if the resolution is backed by 373 members, the motion is carried, and the GSP + concessions would then be rejected. The resolution is to be taken up on Thursday.
According to two EU parliamentarians - Anne Marie Mineur (Netherlands) and Lola Sanchez (Spain) who were part of a fact-finding mission earlier this month on the GSP+ request, the European Parliament is unlikely to debate the resolution and only call for a vote which is likely to succeed.
The two MPs while expressing concerns over Sri Lanka’s failure to fulfill some conditions pertaining to human rights and blocking unions in the free trade zones, had expressed the hope that concessions would be approved since the government had promised that 50 per cent of the benefit from GSP+ would be used for worker welfare. They have told local trade unions that they had hoped a debate would ensue where some pressure would be exerted to approve GSP+ for Sri Lanka. However without a debate, it is anybody’s guess as to which way the vote will go, they say. - ENDS -
A Sri Lanka Air Force Bell 212 helicopter belonging to the No. 72 squadron has crashed into the Madhuru Oya reservoir this morning, Air FOrce Media Spokesman Eranda Geeganage said.
Read this week’s Sunday Times for your interesting articles including the ’’5th Column’’.
In its first electoral test since taking power, the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) fell short of expectations, winning only around 40 % of the national vote in Tuesday’s local government election and falling short of enough seats to gain control of the majority of councils.
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