Maldives Oppn Parties Boycott President Muizzu's Presidential Address at Parliament

Maldives: The two main Maldives' opposition parties, the Maldivian Democratic Party and The Democrats, today boycotted President's Mohamed Muizzu inaugural address at the opening session of the Parliament or People’s Majlis.

The MDP in a statement announced its decision to boycott the president's address as it is meant to diminish the Parliament's honour.

Earlier on Sunday, the opposition party laid out another reason on why its decided to boycott the address as because top government officials were involved in rioting outside the Parliament on the day of the cabinet approval vote.

This was Muizzu's first presidential address at the first sitting of Parliament this year.

This development comes days after the island nation's government formally requested India to give "comprehensive details," for January 31 incident where three Coast Guard personnel allegedly boarded three Maldivian fishing vessels while operating within its economic zone.

The recent incident adds to the ongoing diplomatic row between the two countries.

The two parties had also rebuked Muizzu's 'anti-India stance.' Both parties expressed grave concern about the government's anti-India stance, stressing on the importance of New Delhi as a long-standing ally.

"Both, the MDP and The Democrats believe alienating any development partner, and especially the country’s most long-standing ally will be extremely detrimental to the long-term development of the country. Consecutive governments of the country must be able to work with all development partners for the benefit of the people of the Maldives, as the Maldives has traditionally done. Stability and security in the Indian Ocean is vital to the stability and security of the Maldives," the two parties said in a statement.