ANKARA - Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said on Friday that International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies helped them discipline the corrupt financial structures, adding, ''however, most of the Turkish people complain about the IMF''. Unakitan addressed university students in Ohio City in the United States through teleconference system.
Unakitan said that relations with the IMF continued positively and Turkey was successfully carrying out the economic program.
Replying a question which said, ''the IMF is accused of harshly treating the countries where it implements an economic program. In this respect, what is its effect on Turkey?'' Unakitan said, ''first of all, IMF policies are unfortunately a little bit rigid. I am telling this also to the IMF. However, their policies in general are very beneficial. Because destroyed economies and financial structures are disciplined. They go beyond bounds sometimes and I understand them.''
''As they prevent populist policies, they cause wearisome effect on people. Nobody wants a cut in expenditures. And many people feel uncomfortable with the policies to discipline the economy. With this reason, many Turkish people complain about the IMF. I tell the IMF, 'our success will be your success. Because you have a very bad image in the world'.''
Replying another question, Unakitan said that there would be legal changes to encourage flow of foreign capital to Turkey.
Stressing that Turkey currently had economic and political stability sought by foreign capital, Unakitan said, ''besides, privatization is a good opportunity for foreign capital. Leading foreign companies want to purchase our big companies like Turkish Airlines and Turkish Oil Refineries Corporation.'' When asked what he thought about the opinion that Turkey was considered one of the losers of Iraq war, Unakitan said that they felt uneasy and were very worried when the war started but the balances which were destroyed were put on track as the war did not last long.
Unakitan added that Turkey wanted to participate in rebuilding of Iraq.
(MS-AÖ) 09.05.2003