Parliament Speaker and former President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed has disclosed that authorities requested him not to announce his date of departure from the Maldives for security reasons.
Nasheed is back in the Maldives after spending over five months in Germany and the United Kingdom seeking treatment for injuries sustained in the May 6 terror attack that targeted his life. While there have been reports that Nasheed is in the country for only three days, Nasheed has previously expressed reluctance to return to the Maldives as the investigation into the terror attack has not been concluded thus far.
Speaking at a press conference held by Nasheed on Wednesday, the former president refuted reports that said the duration of his visit was three days. Nasheed said he is unable to disclose his departure date as the Maldives National Defence Force has requested him not to publicize his itinerary and movements.
However, Nasheed did state that he is not able to remain in the Maldives for long. However, he would remain in the Maldives in a circumstance where both the President and the Vice President are incapacitated, said Nasheed. As the Speaker of the Parliament, Nasheed would be next in line to head the state in such an event.
Nasheed is staying at Hotel Jen with high security during this trip. Referring to his accommodation, Nasheed said he does not wish to stay at the hotel and that he wished to return to his residence. However, MNDF is not prepared to allow him to return home, said Nasheed. He further said that while he is happy with the security provided to him, his two children are not satisfied with the arrangements.
