Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the head of the National People’s Power, and Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, have been publicly challenged by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to engage in a dialogue with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In order to expose the veracity of the claims these political figures made, he suggested that this conversation take place online.
President Wickremesinghe stressed today, the 25th, at the United National Party Special Congress that changing the current arrangement with the IMF will cause another economic disaster. Dissanayake and Premadasa, he charged, had deceived the people with promises of lower taxes and prices, and they had warned that such measures would be catastrophic for the nation.
The President expressed his own wish to lower costs and taxes, but he clarified that this could only happen if the rupee appreciated and the IMF accords were followed. He claimed that the initiatives started in cooperation with the IMF were responsible for the nation’s slow but steady recovery, and he vowed to stay on this difficult course.
President Wickremesinghe reflected on the difficulties the country has encountered, citing shortages of food, medicine, fuel, and gas as well as his own responsibility to lessen the suffering of the populace. In his criticism of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, he emphasized the group efforts that safeguarded the citizens’ right to life.
The President outlined the steps taken by the administration to stabilize the economy, including talks with eighteen nations and the accords that followed, which brought about the current recovery. While acknowledging the challenges presented by higher taxes, he thanked the populace for bearing with them. Wickremesinghe stressed that although he wants to lessen these burdens, any tax cut must be supported with a stronger rupee and adherence to the IMF’s objectives in order to prevent a relapse into the grave circumstances that existed in July 2022.
He concluded by reiterating how crucial it is to keep up the existing economic agenda in spite of its difficulties in order to guarantee the country’s long-term stability.