The JVP today criticized the government’s decision to increase fuel prices, claiming that it has caused grave threat to the country’s economy.

The government continually declares that the country’s economy is strong, public income has increase, inflation has decreased and that there is no need for loans from foreign nations, JVP MP Vijitha Herath said.

While claiming that the country’s economy is that stable, the government is raising fuel prices overnight, he charged. “This is truly a miracle for the people.”

Inquiring as to why fuel prices are increased if the economy is good, Herath alleged that the reason is due to country’s economy collapsing rapidly. The economy has collapsed to such an extent that it cannot be rescued by sticking “plaster solutions” (temporary solutions), the JVP politburo member said at a press briefing today.

He named two reasons for the hike in petrol and diesel prices. Firstly, the government is implementing the conditions of the IMF with the aim of obtaining a loan of US$ 1 billion and the government covering its own inefficiency and wastage.

Vijitha Herath stated that a large amount of money was wasted in the hedging deal recently and that if the losses from that are to be paid, the fate of the petroleum corporation will be unimaginable. “Added to this the government imported substandard fuel and incurred a heavy loss.”