YASED: "Healthy democracy is a must for a strong economy"

Maintaining a healthy democracy is vital to Turkey's economic well-being, participants at a meeting of the International Investors Association (YASED) stressed on Wednesday in Istanbul, urging that there be no further escalation of the current political tension in the country. Speaking separately at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Minister Ali Babacan and YASED Chairwoman Piraye Antika both emphasized the importance of political stability for a strong economy. Babacan said all parties in Turkey should intensify their quest to realize a "first-class democracy," underlining that the government is committed to doing its part to this end. "Turkish democracy is undergoing a transformation; it is improving," he said. "No reform like this is easy to achieve, and nobody should shrink from their responsibilities in this process." Reiterating that a new, modern constitution is critical for this, he called on opposition parties and civil society organizations to help the government in this "process of democratization." Babacan said the government has faith that the Turkish economy will resume rapid growth following recovery of the global financial markets. "We have introduced some critical economic reforms along with a recently introduced mid-term strategy plan," he added. "Today most countries are still working on plans to lift themselves from the crisis."