Mangala Samaraweera passes away (Video)

Dr. Priyankara Jayawardena stated that former Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera passed away a short while ago.

Samaraweera was 65 years old when he died after being treated for several days at a private hospital in Colombo due to the COVID-19 virus infection.

Dr. Priyankara Jayawardena stated that the former Minister who was in a critical condition at the time of admission to the hospital has gradually returned to normal after receiving treatment.

He further stated that Samaraweera, who was gradually recovering, had suffered a heart attack yesterday as well and that the hospital staff and himself had taken steps to manage the situation.

However, the former Minister died due to a cardiac arrest a short while ago.

Samaraweera was the Minister of Finance from 2017 to 2019, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, for two terms, from 2005 to 2007 and 2015 to 2017.

He created a stir in Sri Lankan politics when he was sacked as a minister by President Mahinda Rajapakse in 2007, after which he formed a new political party called the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana) Wing, which later merged with the United National Party in 2010.