Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 19
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
There is no economic crisis in Turkey, Turkish media reported citing the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sept. 19.
According to Erdogan, there are forces within Turkey, that are interested in economic crisis.
"From now on, all financial transactions in Turkey will be conducted in the national currency. Here isn't the US for us to use US dollars," Erdogan said.
Relations between Washington and Ankara have recently deteriorated because of the case of US pastor Andrew Brunson detained in 2016 by the Turkish authorities.
This is while US President Donald Trump said that he authorized double increase in tariffs for aluminum and steel from Turkey - up to 20 percent and 50 percent, respectively. This decision caused the fall of the Turkish lira to historic low.
The court of the Turkish city of Izmir on August 17 again refused to release the American pastor from the house arrest whom Turkey suspects aiding the coup attempt in 2016.
On August 1, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul, because Turkey did not allow Branson to return home. The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the US decision and called on the US to abandon it.