UNP criticises Budget 2027 on youth jobs, household relief and debt planning

The United National Party has criticised Sri Lanka's 2027 Budget over youth employment, household relief and the explanation of future debt payments. Party chairman and former minister Vajira Abeywardena made the remarks at the UNP political office in Colombo, according to November 12 reports by published reporting. His criticisms are political claims, not independent findings about every measure in the Budget.

Technology jobs and younger generations

Abeywardena argued that the Budget did not adequately secure the future of Millennials and Generation Z. He said Sri Lanka was falling behind technological change and that the proposals were insufficient to generate technology-based jobs for younger people. Both outlets reported this as his assessment of the government's economic direction.

A claim that the Budget offers no adequate plan is different from a verified conclusion that it contains no youth or technology measures at all. Assessing that question would require comparing the full Budget, allocations and implementation plans; this report does not certify such a comparison or promise any job opportunity.

Reserves and debt figures remain attributed claims

He said Sri Lanka would need foreign reserves of US$13 billion by 2028 and would face repayments of US$3.5 billion to US$4 billion to international institutions by that time. He alleged that the Budget did not explain how those obligations would be met. These figures are reported here as the politician's statements, not independently checked central-bank data or a complete sovereign-debt repayment schedule.

The published report also reported his criticism of a new committee connected with the IMF programme. He interpreted its appointment as a sign of disagreement within the administration. The reports reviewed do not independently establish that internal division, the committee's full mandate or the result of its work.

Household pressure and competing political claims

On household finances, he claimed some public employees spent nearly 60% of their salaries on loan repayments and that families had pawned jewellery or lost pledged possessions while trying to cover living costs. That is not a verified estimate for all public employees or households. He argued that the Budget offered insufficient help for these families.

He defended the previous administration's economic policies as having helped stabilise Sri Lanka after the crisis, while accusing the current government of lacking a clear strategy to sustain recovery. Those are competing political assessments. The two reports reviewed do not include a direct government response to these particular remarks; that absence should not be read as an admission or proof of the claims.

This account is based on the outlets' reporting of the press conference; the complete recording and official financial tables underlying the claims were not independently obtained. The calculator-and-notebook image is an illustration, not the press conference, an official Budget document or a household debt record.

The published report, November 12