Turkey's business circle backs new economic program

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish business people voiced their support for the country's new economic program which was revealed on Monday.

Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak announced the economic program for the three-year period starting from 2020.

Ismail Gulle, the head of Turkish Exporters' Assembly, said a competitive economy, active cost management and strengthened financial system are important topics for Turkey's real sector.

Business people see the localization of imported products, especially raw materials and intermediate goods, and measures for reducing volatility in foreign currencies as significant steps, he stressed.

"With 85,000 goods and 5,000 services exporters, we will continue to contribute to the New Economic Program targets," he added.

The new program revealed the country's targets for inflation, growth, unemployment, budget deficit, current account and financial stability.

The program targeted the inflation rate of 12% for 2019, 8.5% for next year, 6% for 2021 and 4.9% for 2022.

Rifat Hisarciklioglu, the chairman of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, said the new plan revealed realist measures by identifying problems.

"We think that the planned steps will serve as a springboard for the economy, they will provide a transition to a strong and stable growth process," he said.

He added: "As the Turkish business circle, we will continue to work hard for the country's targets."

The new economy program also targeted 5% annual growth for the next three years each and one million new jobs per year.

Nail Olpak, the president of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), said the plan represents focused and collective work of all relative institutions.

"We will see a country which will grow 5% annually with production, reduce inflation gradually and raise employment in the coming period," he underlined.

On the fiscal discipline side, the program aims to reach the budget deficit-to-GDP rate of 2.9% for the next two years and 2.6% for 2022.