Sri Lanka's opposition leader says the rich will pay more if he becomes president next week

Sri Lanka’s opposition leader contesting the presidential election next week said Thursday that if he comes to power he will renegotiate with the International Monetary Fund the 2022 economic reforms package to ensure that the rich pay more taxes and the poor see their conditions improve. The reforms were introduced after Sri Lanka defaulted on its foreign debt creating the worst economic crisis in its history. Sajith Premadasa, the opposition leader in Parliament told The Associated Press that his party has already started discussions with the IMF to find ways to ease the tax burden on the people. The presidential election on September 21 is seen as a referendum on the reforms initiated by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.