Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated on Saturday that Turkey’s economy was strong and Ankara was determined to reach its goals using its own solutions.
“There is no economic crisis, only manipulative moves. We will achieve our country's goals with our own solutions and our own programs,” Erdoğan said at the 27th Consultation and Assessment Meeting of the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party.
“The increase in exchange rate is not only due to economic reasons. Turkey is assessing the situation,” he added.
Erdoğan also underlined that Turkey has “not asked any country for money but open to all forms of investments and support."
He told members of ruling AK Party he had ordered his ministers not to receive any financial advice or consulting from U.S. firm McKinsey
Turkey and the U.S. are currently experiencing rocky relations since Washington imposed sanctions on Turkey’s interior and justice ministers after Ankara refused to release an American pastor Andrew Brunson, who faces terrorism-related charges in Turkey.
The recent turmoil between Turkey and the U.S. has added to the decline in the lira against the dollar.
Turkey will impose fines on "opportunists" who use volatility in the foreign exchange rate to raise prices, Erdoğan said.
He also said, "We will not abandon our people to the mercy of opportunists."
Erdoğan said that Turkey will eliminate all terrorists and give them a befitting response for their attacks.
On Thursday, in the southeastern Batman province an improvised explosive planted by PKK terrorists detonated when an armored military vehicle passed through, martyring eight soldiers.
He expressed his condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers.
“Do we have eight martyrs? Those terrorists should know that they will pay the price for that with at least 800 [terrorists]," he said.
“We will also finish them [terrorists] in Qandil and Sinjar,“ he added.
“They [terrorists] will never have the strength to destroy the peace and prosperity of this nation," he added.
In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 40,000 people, including women and children.
