COLOMBO, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa landed at the Velana International Airport in the Maldives early Wednesday, according to the Maldivian media.
Rajapaksa had earlier informed the speaker of parliament that he would resign from the presidency on Wednesday. In this year Sri Lanka has been suffering a severe economic crisis which has led to public protests.
Sri Lanka's speaker of parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has said political party leaders have decided to elect a new president on July 20 through a vote in parliament. ■