Turkish businesspeople optimistic about 2019

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish businesspeople have said they expect positive developments in 2019.

"Turkey continues to grow. Although there are problems, we are optimistic about 2019," Nail Olpak, head of Turkey's Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), said in a statement.

Despite narrowing in the last quarter, the positive contribution of net external demand to growth percent was important, he noted in a written statement.

The decrease in current deficit and inflation due to quick steps taken by Turkey, he said, were a sign for recovery in 2019.

"The 3 percent narrowing in the last quarter was a corollary of balancing period in the [Turkish] economy," he added.

Ismail Gulle, the head of Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM), said Turkey's growth rate of 2.6 percent in 2018 despite attacks on foreign currencies showed that the country had a solid base.

e noted: "In our economy, we will reach again strong growth rates due to the balancing period."

Abdurrahman Kaan, chairman of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MUSIAD), said the Turkish economy will continue to grow in 2019 "slowly but steadily".

Kaan added: "We believe that our country would enter a quick development process due to the new economy system's dynamic structure and past experiences."

The Turkish economy grew by 2.6 percent in 2018 and shrank by 3 percent in the last quarter of 2018, on an annual basis, the Turkish Statistical Institute announced on Monday.

Turkey aims to reach economic growth of 2.3 percent this year, 3.5 percent in 2020, and 5 percent by 2021 under its new economic program announced last September.