300 million dollar loan was approved by the Majlis: Finance Minister

Minister of Finance and Treasury, Abdulla Jihad has said that the 300 million dollar loan was approved by the Peoples’ Majlis when the Majlis passed that more than 65 million dollar loans can be taken as this year’s budget support.

In an interview to Miadhu Daily, Minister of Finance Jihad said that he believes that the Majlis has given the government the authority to take loans to cover state expenses as the Majlis approved this in the state budget.

The request submitted to the Finance Committee of the Majlis to seek the approval of the Majlis to obtain the 300 million US dollar loan from the Bank of Maldives was rejected yesterday by the committee.

The Finance Committee rejected the request at the counsel of the Councilor General of the Majlis who stated that the loan requested for approval cannot be obtained except when it is passed at the Majlis floor.

Although the request was rejected, the government had already obtained the loan. The government stated that the loan was obtained since the Majlis has already approved that the government can take more than 65 million dollars as budget support.

In yesterday’s meeting of the Finance Committee, Kulhudhufushi Uthuru MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa from the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) proposed to investigate the issue of the government’s obtainment of the 300 million dollar loan from the Bank of Maldives without the approval of the Majlis. This proposal was supported by Billeydhoo MP of MDP Ahmed Hamza. Committee Chair Ahmed Nazim said that the case will be in the agenda.

Dhidhoo MP who is also from MDP, Ahmed Sameer submitted a resolution requesting to take action against those responsible for taking the 300 million dollars without prior Majlis approval.

Meanwhile, some MPs representing the national unity government also raised concern for the government’s obtainment of a loan without the consent of the Majlis.