ISTANBUL - ``We still maintain our year-end targets, one of which is that primary surplus in the public sector will not exceed 6.5 percent,`` Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan indicated on Wednesday.
Babacan attended a conference in Istanbul organized by the Union of Turkish Banks in association with the Institute of International Finance.
Stating that the country had sound relations with both World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), Babacan noted that fiscal policy framework has been strengthened.
``Primary surplus target will probably be 6.5 percent and the ratio of social security deficit to GNP will not exceed 4.5 percent at the end of 2006,`` Babacan underscored.
He stressed, ``if we pursue our structural reforms with determination, Turkey will be stronger against any kind of fluctuation.``
-TURKEY`S EU ACCESSION PROCESS-
Babacan indicated that there was no slowdown in the government`s efforts regarding Turkey`s EU accession process, stating that all state institutions were working hard regarding the reforms.
``Screening talks on 20 chapters have been completed so far. There is not any problem regarding technical matters of the process. There may be some political problems in relations with some EU countries, but this will not discourage us,`` he added.