Maldives' Parliament said on Saturday that the state budget was not used to pay for former President and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Nasheed's trip to participate in the international environmental summit, COP27.
Nasheed had left with the Sri Lankan delegation yesterday for Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh. He is representing Sri Lanka in the COP 27.
Former President of Maldives Democratic Party (MDP) and former Attorney General Dr. Mohamed Munnawar had criticised Nasheed's trip in a tweet today, questioning Nasheed's loyalty to his own country when he was going on trips to represent another country while on state funds.
When he asked the parliament to clarify how Nasheed's trip was funded, their Media Director Hassan Ziyau said it was handled by Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF).
"The Maldivian state budget was not used for that trip," he had said in Dhivehi, the local language.
Nasheed is also the International Climate Advisor to Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
He will be on this trip until Wednesday, November 9.
The COP Summit is held with leaders, organizations and businesses of countries to work together to encourage the reduction of emissions, expand adaptation efforts, and create the necessary financial resources to reduce environmental damage.