Turkey's economy 'is not Finance Minister's play dough'

Duvar English

Turkey's economy is not Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak's play dough, right-wing opposition Good (İYİ) Party leader Meral Akşener said on Oct. 6.

Speaking in her party's parliamentary group meeting, Akşener criticized Albayrak, who is also President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's son-in-law, over the deteriorating economic situation of the country.

"Turkey's economy is not Erdoğan's son-in-law's play dough. The Turkish Republic is not for your trial and error," Akşener said, as she also commented on the recent economic program announced by Albayrak.

"The son-in-law told new fairy tales to the public when he announced the new economic program. It was one that revealed how much of a disaster the presidential system is," she added.

Criticizing Erdoğan for appointing his son-in-law as the minister when "there are hundreds of people who could have done the job properly," Akşener slammed the government for the Turkish Lira's heavy losses.

"Appoint a vice president who understands from economy immediately," Akşener said.

"They get angry at us for criticizing the son-in-law minister. We don't criticize him for being a son-in-law only, but we get angry because he is the worst at managing the economy and makes mistakes over and over," she said.

The İYİ Party leader also slammed Albayrak's remarks on not looking at the exchange rates.

"Can a finance minister say that he doesn't look at exchange rates? Mr. son-in-law, what are you looking at?" she asked.

Albayrak on Sept. 29 said that he doesn't care about exchange rates and that he doesn't follow them, as the Turkish Lira plumbed to new lows.

"For me, the exchange rates are not important at all. I don't look at that," he said.