evidence: While both Premadasa and Dissanayake have said they will continue with the IMF bailout negotiated with Wickremesinghe last year, they have pledged to reduce taxes and privatisation. Premadesa, in an interview with the Associated Press news agency, said he had already started talks with the IMF to ease people’s tax burden. [...] "If you look at the three main candidates, there is more or less consensus on having to continue with the current IMF programme.