No government plans for ‘election economics’

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek (L) poses with TUSKON Chairman Rızanur Meral.

Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek has said his ministry will not implement “election economics,” so that the upcoming local elections in Turkey reflect as little as possible on the Turkish business world.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have agreed to hold local elections earlier than the originally scheduled date of March 2014, and are discussing the new date, which may be Oct. 27, 2013.

In 2014, a general election will elect the next president via popular vote, and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is presumed to be the strongest candidate in the presidential election.

The 2013 budget and the medium-range economic program are being prepared without any connection to the elections, Şimşek said, speaking on Sept. 8 at the board meeting of the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) in Ankara. 

“We need to make sure the elections have as little impact on the Turkish business world as possible. We will not engage in election economics. Such approaches have not been beneficial for Turkey in the past,” Şimşek said. 

Tuskon Chairman asks minister not to increase taxes 

TUSKON Chairman Rızanur Meral said at a press conference that he had asked the minister not to increase taxes on the business world, as it continues to create jobs and increase exports. 

“We requested [of the minister] that he support the competitive power of the business world, which is already facing hardships,” Meral said. “He gave us some good news on the issue.” 

TUSKON is also concerned about possible cuts in public spending in the future, Meral said.