President Erdogan: 'Turkey grows despite smear campaign'
Business |
Erdogan assures Latvian businessmen that the Turkish economy is stable and growing despite "smear campaigns".
Turkey's economy continues to make record growth despite deliberate false reports by some western media and economic institutions, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday.
"There are some baseless claims about Turkey by the EU and U.S. media organs. If one looks carefully, one can see which circles are feeding such a smear campaign," Erdogan said, speaking at a business forum in Latvia's capital Riga.
"Despite those campaigns, the Turkish economy is continuing to grow and strengthen itself. I suggest that Latvian businesspeople approach such reports very carefully," he said.
Erdogan also stressed that Turkey's economy grew four per cent in 2013, whereas the global heavyweights including Europe are going through an economic recession.
"We expect the same four per cent growth also at the end of this year," Erdogan said.
Explaining that Turkey's export volume was valued at $160 billion last year, the president also said that banking, fiscal and financial systems in Turkey are stable.
Erdogan also said international media allegations claiming that Turkey supports the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group are false and part of the same smear campaign that says that Turkey's economy is worsening.
"Turkey is the most negatively influenced country from the ISIL terror, after Iraq and Syria. Those claims could not be based on any information or evidence," he said.
"Turkey raised its voice against and warned either ISIL and the causes which led to the birth of ISIL. Those who did not listen our warnings are actually supporting ISIL, in one way or another."
Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, is currently under the control of the Peoples Protection Units -- the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party.
The Syrian-Turkish border town has been the scene of fierce battles between Kurdish groups and ISIL since mid-September.
An estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, including around 200,000 from Kobani, are living in refugee camps across Turkey.
Anadolu Agency
"There are some baseless claims about Turkey by the EU and U.S. media organs. If one looks carefully, one can see which circles are feeding such a smear campaign," Erdogan said, speaking at a business forum in Latvia's capital Riga.
"Despite those campaigns, the Turkish economy is continuing to grow and strengthen itself. I suggest that Latvian businesspeople approach such reports very carefully," he said.
Erdogan also stressed that Turkey's economy grew four per cent in 2013, whereas the global heavyweights including Europe are going through an economic recession.
"We expect the same four per cent growth also at the end of this year," Erdogan said.
Explaining that Turkey's export volume was valued at $160 billion last year, the president also said that banking, fiscal and financial systems in Turkey are stable.
Erdogan also said international media allegations claiming that Turkey supports the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group are false and part of the same smear campaign that says that Turkey's economy is worsening.
"Turkey is the most negatively influenced country from the ISIL terror, after Iraq and Syria. Those claims could not be based on any information or evidence," he said.
"Turkey raised its voice against and warned either ISIL and the causes which led to the birth of ISIL. Those who did not listen our warnings are actually supporting ISIL, in one way or another."
Kobani, also known as Ayn al-Arab, is currently under the control of the Peoples Protection Units -- the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party.
The Syrian-Turkish border town has been the scene of fierce battles between Kurdish groups and ISIL since mid-September.
An estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees, including around 200,000 from Kobani, are living in refugee camps across Turkey.
Anadolu Agency
