PM Erdogan: To speak of 'devaluation' is ignorance at this point
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking yesterday to his AKP group in parliament, accused those making speculations to the media about an imminent "devaluation" of the Turkish lira of ignorance. Erdogan, stressing that ups and downs in the currency were normal, said "We will keep to our program with vigilance. So everyone should be relaxed. There is no reason for worry."
Erdogan told AKP members that he had been watching closely the activities of both the Central Bank and the Treasury, as well as all related organizations, and that the necessary steps were being taken at the necessary times. He said that "for the past 3.5 years we have been underlining the fact that ups and downs in our exchange rate are normal, but there are, unfortunately, some people who don't want to hear this."
Erdogan also reserved harsh words for people speaking about a possible devaluation in the Turkish lira: "We have said over and over again that we don't have any particular aims with the exchange rate, that the exchange rate is completely dependant on the free market, that we will not interfere in the exchange rate unless there is an extraordinary rise or decline. To speak about devaluation at this point is, to put it lightly, ignorance. And if it doesn't stem from ignorance, then that means there are those who want to 'fish in cloudy water.' That's how it is. Those who say 'Let my fortune increase, Turkey can head wherever it wants' are thinking with the same mentality as a politician who says 'Let my votes increase no matter what price to the people of the nation.'"