The right to dissent and press freedom are vital instruments in a vibrant democracy.

Visiting US Senator and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chris Van Hollen said that the United States is of the view that no single country gets a better deal than another country when it comes to the debt restructuring in Sri Lanka. The US senator, while welcoming the passage of the Anti-Corruption Bill in Parliament, said that Sri Lanka should ensure its proper implementation. He said that the IMF will also look into this aspect at the next review, which is scheduled for this month. Hollen added that the US has and will always respect the sovereignty of every country, including Sri Lanka and its freedom of navigation. Sri Lanka has to make decisions in respect of its sovereignty,, he said. He was of the view that the election should be held in time for the people to express their opinions democratically, and free media is important for the people to air their views freely. The freedom of the people to protest and the freedom of the press are very important ", he said.