Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that the current administration has spent an excess of between MVR 270 million and 300 million on salaries this year, which is why there is no money in the budget.
Speaking in Milandhoo Island at a campaign rally for Ali Riza, who is contesting the parliamentary elections on the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) ticket, Solih said the Mohamed Muizzu administration had spent more money on salaries in January and February compared to his last year in office.
The previous administration, led by Solih, had spent MVR 1.9 billion on salaries in January and February in 2023, but the current administration has spent MVR 2.1 billion on salaries in the first two months this year, he said.
“Unfortunately, the administration has not been heading in the direction the people desired over the past three months,” he said, adding that “they are increasing political positions daily with the goal of installing 1,500 political appointees in the government, and development projects are stalled as a result.”
“They have stopped almost all the work. They say there is no money. Companies are not running. They say there is no money to operate,” he said.
Going into such detail for the first time since the end of his term, Solih added that despite the difficulties in the past five years, he did not hesitate to do what was necessary for development.
Instead of focusing on major development projects, he said, the first priority should be to provide a contented life for families. Solih remarked that the desired development of the Maldives has not been achieved due to a lack of disciplined efforts and improper utilisation of state revenue.