ISTANBUL - Odd Per Brekk, the senior resident representative of the IMF in Turkey, visited on Thursday the Association of Independent Industrialists and Businessmen (MUSIAD) Chairman Ali Bayramoglu.
Practices within the scope of the economic program and the latest developments were discussed in the meeting.
MUSIAD issued a statement noting that Bayramoglu conveyed his views and criticisms regarding economic program to Brekk and Bayramoglu said in the meeting that some zigzags in economy and concerns over increase in current deficit risk prevented businessmen from predicting the future.
Bayramoglu said that IMF program which has been implemented for three and a half years could not still ensure completely a sustainable stability and noted that's why the state and the nation paid moral and financial cost and the country's debt stock increased further, despite the political stability.
Stressing that sources should be used for real economy as soon as possible, he said, ''measures should be taken to decrease current deficit which has been the most important problem recently, zigzag in foreign exchange rate should be removed and real interest rates and borrowing interest rates should be decreased.''
Ali Bayramoglu said that Central Bank law should be reviewed and presented MUSIAD's 2003 Economic Report to Brekk in the meeting.
Brekk said in his meeting with Bayramoglu that he would study the report and noted that AK Party assumed a sound attitude regarding economic program.
Stressing that foreign investors welcomed determination on continuation of economic program, Brekk said that positive results were reached especially on growth and inflation.
Brekk said in the meeting that growth target would be reached and inflation rate could be lower than expected.
(EÖ-AÖ) 12.06.2003