Erdogan praises Turkey's economic achievements

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkey’s economy is achieving new records on a daily basis even though the world is going through a very difficult economic situation, including the European Union, the United States and Japan.

The prime minister’s remarks were delivered at the opening ceremony of a project in the Kars Province in Eastern Anatolia, which included laying the foundation for a sports facility that has the capacity to accommodate up to 10,000 people.

Erdogan pointed out that Turkey’s economic revenues from tourism reached $24.5 billion during the first nine months of this year, and revenues are expected to exceed $30 billion by the end of the year. He also noted that the number of tourists coming to Turkey has been increasing over the past 11 years.

He explained that his country had already paid back its debt to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and now the IMF is asking Turkey for a loan. According to Erdogan, Turkey has agreed to lend the IMF $5 billion.

The latest economic figures reveal that Turkey’s gross domestic product (GDP) has risen more than originally forecast. GDP is reported to have grown in the third quarter of this year by 4.4 per cent, in comparison to the same period last year.

Erdogan also said that the government under the Justice and Development party has been struggling for 11 years to establish stability and security in the country, but it has finally achieved it, pointing out that stability is a key element to attracting tourists.