By The Pulseline News Desk
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has accused the National People’s Power (NPP) government of implementing economic policies that go beyond the commitments made under Sri Lanka’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, claiming the administration has embraced a more stringent fiscal path than its predecessor while abandoning promises made to voters.
Addressing a public rally in Pannala, Premadasa has said the government had shifted towards what he described as an “extreme right-wing neoliberal programme,” arguing that it has imposed fiscal measures that exceed the requirements of the IMF agreement negotiated under former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
His remarks come amid continuing public debate over Sri Lanka’s economic recovery programme, with the government maintaining that strict fiscal discipline is necessary to restore macroeconomic stability, while opposition parties argue that the burden of adjustment is falling disproportionately on ordinary citizens.
Premadasa has recalled that both the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the NPP had campaigned on promises to renegotiate aspects of the IMF agreement, which many critics viewed as placing significant hardships on the public through higher taxes and spending restraint.
However, he has alleged that the government has abandoned those commitments since taking office and is now pursuing policies that are even more stringent than those agreed with the IMF.
According to Premadasa, the administration has exceeded key fiscal targets outlined in the IMF programme.
He has claimed that while the agreement envisaged a primary budget surplus of 2.3 percent, the government has increased the target to 5.4 percent, a move he said has resulted in heavier taxation on individuals and businesses.
He has also argued that government revenue targets have been pushed beyond IMF expectations, rising from 13.9 percent to 15.4 percent, while capital expenditure has been reduced in an effort to meet those fiscal objectives.
Describing the government’s approach as one of excessive austerity, Premadasa has accused the administration of imposing “tax upon tax” on the public in pursuit of ambitious fiscal targets.
“The government has become a pet of the IMF,” he has said, alleging that it is implementing measures that go beyond what was required under the bailout programme.
Beyond economic policy, Premadasa has also levelled criticism at the government’s approach to democratic institutions.
He has alleged that the administration is attempting to weaken the opposition while exerting undue influence over the judiciary, despite having campaigned on promises to abolish the executive presidency and strengthen democratic governance.
He has pointed to what he described as delays in filling vacancies in the Supreme Court and proposals to extend the retirement age of judges as examples of interference in the judicial system.
“The government, which deceived the people with lies, fraud and trickery, is now destroying the democratic structure by attempting to influence the judiciary, the main pillar of democracy,” Premadasa has said.
The government has consistently defended its economic programme, arguing that difficult fiscal reforms are essential to rebuilding investor confidence, restoring debt sustainability and preventing a return to the economic crisis that culminated in Sri Lanka’s sovereign default in 2022.
Premadasa’s latest remarks signal that the implementation of the IMF-supported reform programme is likely to remain a central political battleground, with the opposition seeking to portray the government’s economic strategy as one that has moved beyond international requirements while placing an increasingly heavy burden on the public.
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