– Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Arun Hemachandra, stated in Parliament yesterday (23) that allegations made by the opposition claiming that funds remitted to Sri Lanka by Sri Lankan workers in Israel have been affected by a cyberattack are entirely false.

Addressing Parliament, the Deputy Minister said:

“The opposition should refrain from making claims that the remittances sent by Sri Lankan workers in Israel have been affected by a hacker attack. These remittances are processed through a partnership between the Bank of Ceylon and Global Remit. The Government of Israel is currently conducting an investigation concerning Global Remit. As a result, nearly 5,100 Sri Lankan workers have been affected by this issue. However, this is not limited to Sri Lankan workers; employees from other countries working in Israel are also facing the same problem. In total, nearly 11,400 workers have been impacted.”

The Deputy Minister further explained:

“This is a broader issue affecting multiple groups. Global Remit has already submitted relevant facts to the courts in Israel. Approximately USD 6.9 million has been frozen. We believe a permanent solution can be reached within a very short period. Global Remit has also stated that it remains committed to settling the outstanding payments. Diplomatic channels, as well as institutional-level engagements, are actively addressing the matter. We urge everyone to share only accurate and verified information regarding this issue.”