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Sri Lanka to file case against Airbus and seek compensation

05 Dec, 2022

Sri Lanka is to file a case against European planemaker Airbus and seek compensation over a corrupt deal.

Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, told Parliament today that the Government has begun the process to file an arbitration case against Airbus.

He said that the services of a UK based legal firm has been obtained to handle the case.

The Minister said that Sri Lanka hopes to secure compensation from Airbus through the case.

In 2020,?Sri Lanka had ordered a probe into accusations of bribery by Airbus to pave the way for the sale of aircraft to state-run carrier SriLankan Airlines, after the firm agreed a settlement with regulators.

Sri Lanka was among the countries whose officials figured in a $4-billion settlement Airbus agreed with European and U.S. regulators, as having been accused of getting bribes to clinch sales of its aircraft.

Detailed findings from Britain?s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said Airbus had hired the wife of a Sri Lankan Airlines executive as its intermediary and misled export credit agency UKEF over her name and gender, while paying $2 million to her company.

The alleged corruption in dealings between Airbus and SriLankan Airlines took place between July 2011 and June 2015. (Colombo Gazette)

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