PM orders Foreign Ministry to ensure safety of Lankan students in Belarus

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (02) instructed Foreign Minister, Prof. G.L Peiris and the Embassy in Moscow to take steps to ensure the safety of Sri Lankan students in Belarus.

Around 1,600 Sri Lankan students are studying in higher education institutions in Belarus.

The Prime Minister urged the Foreign Minister and the Embassy in Moscow to talk to the higher education institutions in that country where Sri Lankans study and to facilitate their return home, through Moscow, if those students wanted to return home amidst tensions.

The Prime Minister issued this directive after around 1,500 parents of students reached out to him to ensure the safety of their children. The Foreign Ministry said that the Embassy in Moscow is reaching out to Sri Lankan students in Belarus.

Meanwhile, it was reported that tourist police stations and hotels have been advised to be vigilant of incidents of hostilities between Russian and Ukrainian tourists who are presently in Sri Lanka. Most of these tourists are staying in close vicinity. The directive has been issued after the Sri Lankan Cabinet of Ministers, on Monday night (Feb 28), approved to extend the visas of over 15,000 Russian and Ukrainian tourists in the country, by two months. According to the Ministry of Tourism there are 11,463 Russian and 3,993 Ukrainian tourists in the country.

(RK)