Friday
26th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
President Solih and Attorney General Riffath. Photo: President's Office
Dhiyares news the sister newspaper of The Maldives Journal has asked to release information on whether or not the Attorney General’s Office and The President’s Office had given approval prior to signing the agreement for ‘Development, Support & the Maintenance of the Maldives National Defense Force Harbour Sifavaru at Uthuruthilafalhu’ which was signed between Maldives and India on 21st February 2021.
Dhiyares News requested for a written confirmation from the Attorney General's Office on whether Attorney General gave the approval to sign the UTF agreement. In the RTI request submitted to the President's Office, Dhiyares News asked for a copy of the official credentials given by the President to sign the UTF agreement. The credential to sign an agreement is issued after legal clearance from the Attorney General's Office. No bilateral agreement or MOU cannot be signed without an official credential from the President.
According to reliable sources, UTF was signed without official credentials from the president.
The President’s Spokesperson, Mabrook Abdul Azeez stated that the matter is currently under investigation when questioned.
A legal expert who spoke to Dhiyares News stated that the agreement will ‘void ab initio’, null with no legal effect if it was signed without the official credential from the President.