Covid lockdown in a weak economy depleted foreign reserves, Sri Lanka Prime Minster Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Monday, in an effort to explain worsening economic crisis and protests raging in the country.

Shortages of food and fuel, along with record inflation and regular blackouts, have inflicted unprecedented misery on Sri Lankans in the most painful downturn since independence from Britain in 1948.

“We are facing this crisis, right after being faced with the pandemic. Despite knowing the country’s economy going down, we had to impose a lockdown and that’s why our foriegn reserves depleted,” said the Prime Minister addresssing the nation.

In an apparent bid to head off more protests, the government last week declared extra public holidays to coincide with the traditional Sinhalese and Tamil New Year.

“After winning the war in 2010 we won the election, people forgot the story. But I remember. I promise there will never be rolling blackouts in the future. We made a proposal to the powerplant, former government didn’t support our proposal, they are responsible for it,” said the Prime Minister.