Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş has criticized Moody's credit rating agency, which unexpectedly cut Turkey's rating late on Friday, saying Moody's decision is the “aftershock” of the coup bid of July 15 of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).
“Any of the credit rating agencies' move of lowering Turkey's grade is not the end of life. It is obvious that Moody's move was politically motivated,” said Kurtulmuş, during a news conference following a cabinet meeting in Ankara.
“It is impossible to understand how Moody's reached this consequence about Turkey, as analysts were mentioning something different two days before the decision was declared,” Kurtulmuş said.
“In fact, because of the successful management of the economy following the coup bid; the Turkish economy wasn't damaged as much as the coupist planned. Despite the coup bid of July 15, the Turkish economy doesn't have such a big risk as Iran, Russia or Brazil have been facing,” he said.
“Some parties are attempting to show Turkey as being isolated after the coup bid, which doesn't reflect the facts at all. Despite the perception operation; Turkey continues to produce and invite more investors,” he added.
The remarks of Kurtulmuş followed Moody's decision to lower Turkey's credit rating from Baa3 to Ba1 on Friday.
Turkey's Kurtulmuş also touched upon the counter terrorism efforts of Turkey, saying that Turkey is fighting against three terrorist groups; Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Daesh and FETÖ.
“Turkey will never let the PKK/PYD form a terrorist corridor. Now a large number of PYD forces are returning to the east of the Euphrates River, which is an important development for Turkey,” the deputy prime minister said.
Kurtulmuş also recalled Turkey's determination to clear Syria's Raqqa and Iraq's Mosul from the Daesh terrorists.
He also said Turkey will continue putting all its efforts into fighting FETÖ terrorists without being unfair at all.
