Unakıtan: Whole Sale Price Increase 16.5 % in 2003

Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said that , in line with the falling trend of inflation, the wholesale prices index is expected to be 16.5 % and the consumer index below 20 % in 2003. Unakitan said that the 2004 budget complied with international standards. At a press conference briefing on the developments in the 2003 budget and the 2004 budget, Unakitan said that the budget was brought down to Parliament on July 17.   The Minister said that the positive impact made by their financial discipline on the budget policy and macro economic developments was visible and that:  "The growth rate in GNP had been minus 9.5 % in 2001, 7.8 % in 2002 and is expected to be 5 % or more in 2003 and is aimed to be 5 % in 2004. Our government aims at securing a sensible, stable and sustainable  growth. We shall attain the 5 % growth easily in 2003. " He went on to say that the GNP of 176.5 quadrillion TL in 2001, will reach up to 357 quadrillion TL in 2003 and is planned to reach 419.7 quadrillion TL by 2004. Unakitan said that the estimated Dollar value in 2004 was 1 million 604 thousand TL. As for per capita income, Unakitan said that the figure wihch was 2.101 $ in 2001, rose to 2.609 $ in 2002, to 3.366 $ in 2003 and is expected to reach to 3.644 $ in 2004 and admitted that a significant growth has not been attained in the per capita GNP.   Unakitan set the estimated budget spending at 141 quadrillion TL and warned that "Our success in attaining the 2003 objectives does not mean that we are living in a rose garden and left all difficulties behind ."Â