The ban imposed on vehicle imports was not taken up for discussion at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe said.
He revealed this while speaking to reporters after attending a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers at the Presidential Secretariat last evening (Jan 08).
“Under the current circumstances, we cannot assure that tax revenue will increase and that the import ban on vehicles can be lifted,” he said.
State Minister Semasinghe further said receiving more foreign exchange, an increase in foreign exchange, and the long-term stabilization of the economy all have to be taken into consideration.
Pointing out that, therefore, quick decisions cannot be taken concerning this matter, he said Sri Lanka is currently benefiting from the various difficult decisions that have been taken thus far.
The State Minister also reminded that the vehicle import ban is currently in effect only for vehicles of personal use and not other sectors.
His comments come amidst recent media reports claiming that the government was considering lifting the import ban on vehicles. However, the Finance Ministry has denied the reports. (NewsWire)