Finance Minister Ahmed Munawwar has likened organizations such as International Monetary Fund (IMF) to imperial aggressors, expanding European influence on smaller nations.

He made the statement speaking in the Parliamentary Committee drawn up to review the state budget for 2018, in response to the claims made by Members of Parliament aligned with the opposition. Opposition MPs remarked the figures and projections given in the budget did not tally up with the projections made by organizations such as IMF.

In response, Minister Munawwar said the Maldives had suffered due to programs created by IMF. As such, the Minister pointed out that a program by IMF had lowered the salaries of civil servants. The lost amount, was given by this Government, he said.

Minister Munawwar further said the nation had the ‘technical capacity’ to change the economy of the nation and can ‘challenge’ IMF.

He cited a resolution to the political crisis was vital in bringing the economic stability.

While Minister Munawwar made this statement, almost all political leaders, except for former President Maumoon are in jail on various charges. Several of opposition MPs are in jail as well.