President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that the country 'can breathe easily' only after the perpetrators who stole from the state treasury are behind bars.
The President's statement comes after former president Abdulla Yameen, who has been accused of money laundering, was released from state custody by the High Court last week.
Following his release, the ex-resident had said the country can 'breathe easily' only if the opposition coalition of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Peoples' National Congress (PNC), along with ruling-coalition partner Jumhooree Party is able to attain a parliament majority in the upcoming parliamentary election.
Speaking at a campaign event on Monday night, President Solih stressed that it was imperative for main-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to attain parliament majority, and claimed that an independent, uninfluenced courthouse to hear the cases of the people that robbed the state can only be established through a parliament that holds MDP majority.
The president further noted that the corruption and deceit of the former government can be investigated only through a parliament that backs the ruling government. Rebuking his predecessor, the current president alleged that the construction of Dharumavantha Hospital, the landmark hospital built by former president Yameen, was surrounded by dishonest dealings and corruption. Some details of the allegation were shared by the president in his address.
"That was not acceptable to us, that was the reason we set out to prevent President Yameen from being elected. The country can 'breath easy' only when the robbers are arrested and jailed", said the president, playing on the former president's words.
Former president and leader of MDP, Mohamed Nasheed erlier played on the same words of President Yameen, saying the country does not wish to let President Yameen's autocratic regime breath again.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at a campaign event on Monday night
