Sri Lanka, May 16 -- Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando has issued a special clarification regarding the recently imposed 50% surcharge on vehicle imports.

He made these remarks while addressing a special press conference held at the Department of Government Information today (16).

The Deputy Minister stated that import expenditure had increased sharply over the past two months, prompting the government to introduce the measure temporarily in order to manage the country's foreign reserves.

Emphasizing that the move is neither a ban nor a permanent restriction on vehicle imports, Dr. Fernando noted that the surcharge would remain in effect for only three months.

He added that individuals wishing to impor...