Former Minister Manusha Nanayakkara has stated that if Ranil Wickremesinghe were still the President, Sri Lanka would have already received the next installment of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan. Speaking at a rally in Galle, Nanayakkara explained that the delay in receiving the IMF installment is directly linked to the current government’s decision to hold general elections without presenting a budget.
Nanayakkara criticized the government’s decision to prioritize elections over economic reforms, leading to the indefinite postponement of the IMF loan installment. The IMF, he said, had raised concerns about how Sri Lanka would address its budget deficit amidst plans to reduce taxes. While the government had promised concessions after the budget, Nanayakkara accused them of making decisions for electoral gain rather than addressing the country’s financial needs.
The IMF representatives are scheduled to visit Sri Lanka next week, but the loan installment, which was expected to be paid next week, has been delayed. Nanayakkara argued that the government’s actions are akin to misleading the IMF with empty promises, and he expressed concerns about the impact of this delay on the country’s financial stability.
