Former United National Party Deputy Leader and Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake says the depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee is significantly increasing the country’s debt burden and placing additional pressure on ordinary citizens.
Speaking during a special media statement, the MP claimed that every one-rupee depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee against the US dollar increases the country’s overall debt burden by approximately Rs. 38 billion.
According to Karunanayake, the financial impact of exchange rate depreciation ultimately affects the public through increased costs and added economic pressure.
He argued that currency instability and monetary policy decisions have direct implications for government finances, debt servicing costs, and household expenses.
The MP further alleged that financial authorities had not taken sufficient action to prevent the weakening of the rupee and questioned whether enough measures had been introduced to protect economic stability.
Karunanayake’s remarks come amid continued public discussion over exchange rate movements, monetary policy decisions, foreign debt obligations, and the broader impact of currency depreciation on Sri Lanka’s economic recovery efforts.
