Minister of Defence Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon has stated that claims that a neighbouring country had deliberated to gift military drones to the Maldives during the previous administration are untrue.
Ghassan made these comments in parliament today, where he was summoned to be answerable to queries posed by MPs.
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Yaugoob Abdulla said that he had received information that a neighbouring country had been ready to gift military drones to the Maldives for free. Yaugoob insinuated that the government had rejected this offer, and instead spent beyond market rates to purchase the drones from Turkey. He went on to claim that the government had, for purchasing the drones, utilized even the funds set aside to pay fishermen.
He asked the Defence Minister why such high expenses were made on something that could have been acquired free of charge.
Ghassan responded by stating that MP Yaugoob's entire statement did not contain one ounce of fact.
"There has been nothing done by any neighbouring country regarding gifting free UAVs to Maldives," Ghassan stated.
Ghassan said that while the Maldives military had been seeking such drones within the past eight years, no such discussions had materialized with any nearby nation. He said that the military's efforts had finally reached fruition on the 15th of March.
Opposition MDP has even earlier alleged that the government had purchased the drones from Turkey at a much higher price than is the market rate, claiming they have the details to prove this. MDP also claimed that the government change had come into effect while deliberations for free drone provisions had been ongoing between leaders of the countries.
In an exclusive interview with Mihaaru, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said last week that details regarding the acquisition of the drones were being held undisclosed under advice he had received, as it was related to national security. He, however, confirmed that most of it had been provided as free aid by the government of Turkey.
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