The European Union (EU) re-imposed the ban on the LTTE after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Foreign Affairs Ministry intervened with the matter, Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Ajith P. Perera said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, according to him, had written to the EU to reconsider the ban on the LTTE as the then leader of the opposition.

The deputy minister dubbed this as a great diplomatic victory for Sri Lanka after the previous government failed to take adequate measures in this regard.

Wickremesinghe had also written to the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini last November urging the EU to file an appeal against the EU court order on the LTTE.

He said the EU lifted the ban on the LTTE last year due to the ineffective process adopted by the previous government.

The Judgement of the General Court of the European Union last year annulled measures taken by the Council of the European Union against the LTTE, namely the designation of the LTTE as a terrorist organisation and the freezing of their funds.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said the EU has responded positively to his request to extend the ban on the LTTE.

“I am thankful to the European Union for extending the ban on the LTTE on my request,” he said.”We cannot allow fundraising for this terrorist organisation under any circumstances,” the Prime Minister said.

He said the government should acquire funds raised by this organisation and this would be the first step towards that objective.

Courtesy:Daily News