‘You can’t hide from us’: MDP demonstrators force their way into Finance Ministry HQ

The demonstration staged by the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) outside the Finance Ministry headquarters escalated on Monday, after demonstrators grew frustrated over Finance Minister Moosa Zameer’s refusal to meet them to listen to their concerns.

A crowd of protestors, including lawmakers, had begun gathering outside the Finance Ministry building located in the Ameenee Magu of Male’ City at around 10:30 am, for MDP’s ‘Lootuvaifi, Lootuvaifi’ demonstration – a protest over the country’s worsening economic crisis.

They initially stood on the other side of the road, demanding a meeting between the party's lawmakers and Zameer.

As time went by, the protestors grew frustrated and crossed the road to enter the Finance Ministry compound, but were barred from entering the building by the police. Chanting slogans like “Open the door!” and “You can’t hide from us!” they demanded to be let in to meet Zameer. They also demanded his resignation over continuing to be denied entry.

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Several MDP lawmakers were then seen forcing their way past the police officers and through the doors.

But after the lawmakers entered the building, other protestors stepped back and moved back to the other side of the road where the demonstration originally began.

The MDP is protesting over the Maldives’ economic crisis, mainly the USD crunch, the soaring inflation rate, and the billions of Rufiyaa in outstanding payments that the government owes to private businesses.

While the government has not disclosed the exact figure of outstanding payments owed to private businesses, MDP suspects it to be somewhere around MVR 14 million.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had previously pledged to clear the outstanding bills ahead of Ramadan this year.

The country’s current economic situation is linked to staggering external debt obligations, with USD 600 million due this year and another USD 1.1 billion due next year.

President Muizzu’s administration has repeatedly expressed confidence in being able to overcome the crisis.