Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday said that the current political crisis in the island nation is a conflict between “national and foreign thinking”, reported Daily Mirror.

“When I acted according to the principles of nationalism without giving in to foreign forces and without being intimidated by their threats, foreign forces have become a challenge,” Sirisena said, without naming any country. “The shadows of the old imperialism stand in our way.”

Sri Lanka has been in a state of political turmoil since Sirisena ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with Rajapaksa, a former president, on October 26. He suspended Parliament to prevent a vote, then lifted the suspension, but dissolved it again and called snap elections. Rajapaksa’s government subsequently lost two trust motions in Parliament.

The Supreme Court, which is hearing petitions against Sirisena’s decision to dissolve Parliament, reserved its verdict on Friday.

“The current crisis is the result of the concern by the world powers over the affairs of our country due to Sri Lanka’s geographical importance or its location in the world map,” the president said while addressing a gathering in Polonnaruwa.

Sirisena said this was a clash between indigenous and foreign philosophy, according to Daily News. He said that when “one implemented the philosophy of rising up independently” without succumbing to foreign pressures, “foreign forces would naturally become a challenge”.

In a tweet on Sunday, the president said he is also looking forward to the “constitutional interpretation” of the Supreme Court. “Whatever it may be, I will take future political decisions accordingly, to the best interest of our motherland, not to the benefit of any person, group or party,” he said.