Sri Lanka’s newly sworn-in prime minister has warned his nation is down to a one-day supply of gasoline as a devastating economic crisis is set to deepen. Ranil Wickremesinghe said Monday Sri Lanka’s government will have to print money to pay government wages, even though it will lead to the devaluation of the currency. He said Sri Lanka will seek to privatize its state-owned airline, and called on citizens to accept even deeper austerity measures.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe: “The next couple of months will be the most difficult ones of our lives. We must prepare ourselves to make some sacrifices and face the challenges of this period. I have no desire to hide the truth and to lie to the public. Although these facts are unpleasant and terrifying, this is the true situation.”

In recent weeks, Sri Lanka has been rocked by protests demanding the ouster of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amid rolling blackouts, soaring inflation, and shortages of fuel, medicine and food.