Turkish PM Erdoğan vows to keep policies if elected president

ANKARA

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Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has vowed to not change Turkey’s economic policies if he is elected president in August, as he seeks to soothe businessmen’s concerns over the stability of the country in the aftermath of the elections.

“There won’t be any deviation in economic policies if I am elected president,” he said Aug. 7, while addressing hundreds of businessmen at the 7th Turkish Commerce and Industry Council in Ankara.

He also claimed elections do not affect the economy anymore, due to the “strong legal regulations and reforms.”

“For example, there is an election in two days; is there any problem in the economy? No. The next prime minister is not definite, but despite this there is no problem in the economy. Because the markets trust us and our policies,” he stated.

Erdoğan also used the stage to reiterate his displeasure with the current interest rate level and policies by the Central Bank.

“I don’t approve of the Central Bank’s current interest rate. The rates should be lower. The interest rate should be lower for the continuation of investments in Turkey,” he said.