Fitch blames economists for not upgrading Turkey's rating

Rating agencies have been under fire for not raising the credit rating of Turkey, which is among those countries least affected by the global crisis, while the deterioration of the economic situation in higher-rated countries continues.

"We take the views of economists in Turkey while we make our assessments," Botan Berker, the general manager of Fitch Turkey, told at a gathering with reporters, Referans business daily reported on Thursday. "They [economists] tell us such negative things regarding Turkey. You can go and ask them, if you want," she added.

Turkey's credit rating currently stands at BB- according to Fitch and Standard Poor's, which is equivalent to Ba3 on Moody's scale, two notches below investment grade.