📈 Treasury Secretary Declines CoPF Summons Over US$ 2.5 Mn Breach

• Overview: Treasury Secretary Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma declined to appear before the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) today. The summons sought clarification on a US$ 2.5 million Treasury debt payment diverted to cyber-criminals posing as Export Finance Australia. • The Justification: The Secretary cited President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s upcoming parliamentary address regarding the breach next week as the reason for his absence, suggesting a CoPF appearance thereafter. • CoPF Response: Chairman Dr. Harsha de Silva labeled the refusal "unacceptable" and a "kick in the face of promised system change." He emphasized that under the Constitution, Parliament holds full control of public finance, making the summons a constitutional duty rather than a discretionary invite. • Key Implications: • Governance: Dr. de Silva noted the refusal undermines governance commitments made to the IMF. • Transparency: The incident follows the Government's rejection of an Opposition request for a formal parliamentary debate on the cyber breach. • Administrative Impact: The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor’s scheduled appearance was also cancelled following the Treasury Secretary's no-show. • Context: This highlights ongoing friction regarding parliamentary oversight and the public finance accountability framework in the wake of the 2022 economic crisis.