ANKARA - Turkish Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan expressed his pleasure over the decision of Turkish Central Bank which raised short-term interest rates by 1.75 percent yesterday.
Replying to questions of reporters on Thursday, Unakitan said, ''Central Bank is an independent institution. Its policies and decisions are independent as well. I appreciated the bank's decision.''
Stating that Turkey had been successful regarding the inflation target, growth rate, borrowing structure and budgetary discipline, Unakitan noted, ''we should make these accomplishments permanent. Central Bank, Finance Ministry and economy administration take necessary precautions and they will continue to do so.''
Unakitan indicated that he would make public the budget figures in May 2006 in the coming days.