Afrin operation to have a ‘very limited impact’ on Turkey’s economy: Deputy PM Şimşek

ANKARA

Turkey’s military operation in Syria’s Afrin region will have a “very limited impact on the Turkish economy and budget,” Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Şimşek said on Jan. 22.

Speaking at an event in Ankara, Şimşek addressed investors and said the country has entered a “new phase” in its fight against terror.

“Our investors should be at ease. The impact will be limited, the operation will be brief, and the terror risk posed to Turkey will decrease,” he added.

“The operation is a limited and effective one. My message to investors is that there is no need to worry,” Şimşek added.

His words came after similar remarks from Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.

Turkey’s economy will “not be affected” by the ongoing operation in Afrin, Yıldırım told reporters on Jan. 21, vowing that the economy would continue to “grow strongly.”

The Turkish military continued to shell positions of the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militia in Syria’s Afrin on Jan. 22, the third day of Operation Olive Branch.

Meanwhile, Şimşek also said the government managed to reach its 2017 budget target despite tax reductions throughout the year.

“When economic figures from Turkey are compared to other emerging countries, they appear quite strong,” he said, adding that the country’s budget deficit and net foreign debt ratio to its gross domestic product (GDP) is low.

The deputy prime minister, long seen as responsible for the economy, also pledged that the government will “maintain its fiscal discipline and pass reforms” while simultaneously “fighting threats.”