After Greece obtained IMF Fund Facility, the IMF Officials arrived at Greece’s finance ministry amid tight security. After a meeting held at the Ministry of Finance of Greece in November 2014, the IMF officers had to flee through the back door. The protesters were about to storm the Finance Ministry building. At one point, they threatened to arrest IMF officials, accusing them of trying to blackmail Greece by destroying its democracy and national sovereignty.
In Sri Lanka, such a situation has not yet occurred. However, there is some doubt that IMF senior mission chief Peter Breuer’s baloney will push Sri Lanka to that point. He visited Sri Lanka in September 2022 and signed the IMF staff level agreement, and afterwards addressing the press and said this,
‘Country need a Government that has a mandate to carry out the reforms mentioned in the extended fund facility arrangement for US dollar 2.9 Billion.
Peter told reporters that the political environment matters because the reforms need to be carried out…’
01.09.2022
Following Peter’s statement, the Sri Lankan opposition stated that in order to obtain the IMF’s EFF, Sri Lanka should hold a general election. However, when Ranil’s government failed to respond favourably, the opposition suggested that local government elections be held in order to obtain the EFF.
However, the government’s propaganda machine claimed that the local government election was an impediment to obtaining the EFF. By saying this, President Ranil rendered the Election Commission a farce by not allowing the local elections. Ranil was unconcerned when the court ruled that local elections should be held and portrayed EFF as a major victory for him in order to overturn the court decision.
Ranil was in trouble when the court decision to hold the local elections before the EFF was approved. After Ranil became president and suppressed the aragalaya, the court decision to hold local elections was a victory for the aragalaya. But Ranil used the IMF’s EFF to suppress that democratic victory. Peter stated in September 2022 that the Sri Lankan government needs a mandate to implement reforms.
When IMF endorsed EFF in March 2023 Peter said the IMF did not say no to election. Last weekend he made a statement on YouTube and said that everyone should come together to implement IMF reforms. Hearing his statement, an opposition MP had said that there is a suspicion that Peter is interfering in the internal politics of Sri Lanka and trying to get opposition MPs into Ranil’s government.
Is Peter involved in carrying out propaganda to Ranil’s government?
That is the talking point of opposition MPs these days. The members from SJB, JVP and who are now independent from SLPP are blaming IMF is causing great damage to Sri Lanka’s democracy. Today, the opposition in Sri Lanka is the majority of the people. According to survey reports, not even 10% of the people like Ranil’s government. Peter expecting reform from such a government is a dry joke
