President Abdulla Yameen has said that he called on the opposition to come to the negotiating table 12 times to solve the current political situation.

He said this while speaking in Dhidhdhoo on Wednesday in his trip to Haa Alif and Haa Dhaal atolls.

President Yameen said that the opposition was unable to negotiate and instead “kept rambling and demanding the release of criminals.”

He also said that the government invited the opposition for negotiations one day before the European Union voted on adopting a framework to place targeted sanctions on senior government officials.

Noting that the opposition coalition parties had called for negotiations with the government, President Yameen said that the main issue with holding discussions is due to the imprisonment of the opposition leaders and prominent members.

The opposition coalition’s presidential candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, has recently said that there was currently no environment conducive to holding discussions with the government and that ultimately it is a discussion to be made by the coalition.