Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that Maldives has incurred a debt of MVR 3.2 billion to China.

President Nasheed said this while speaking at a Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Parliamentary campaign event at Laamu Fonadhoo this evening. He said that the sovereignty of Maldives is fading due to the major debt incurred to a single country. He noted that the former administration of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had brought in the funds by incurring the debt and had not even completed the projects. President Nasheed reiterated that while the construction of the gravel roads had been completed with these funds, with the other projects incomplete, there is no way to pay back the debt.

He said that if foreign countries are not paid back the debt, what they will ask for next, are shares in several areas. He said that these shares being owned by a single foreign country would in turn result in loss of land and the weakening of our sovereignty and independence as a country.

President Nasheed reiterated that the consequences of this series of events have been experienced by the world and humanity, throughout history. As such, he said that Maldives has now been sold to China.

He said that it is through MDP acquiring a majority at Parliament and by repaying the debt that this country can take back its sovereignty. The former President said that the purpose of MDP’s Parliamentary campaign policy, Agenda ‘19 is to ensure that Maldives remains in the hands of its citizens.