POLITICS > Turkey will be Europe's strongest economy in 2050: Turkish President Gül

STOCKHOLM – Anatolia News Agency

Turkish President Abdullah Gül showcases Turkey's first domestic attack helicopter production, the ATAK, during Jordanian King Abdullah’s visit to the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) on March 6. AA photo

Turkey will have one of the strongest economies in the next 10 years and become the first economy of the continent in 2050, the Turkish president said in a special interview with Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter that was published March 9, two day before his official visit to the country. Gül emphasized that Turkey was a country similar to Sweden just located a different region, adding that many economical indicators such as growth, unemployment and fiscal deficit were in a better shape in Turkey than in EU countries.

President Abdullah Gül will travel to Sweden on March 11 at the invitation of King Carl XVI Gustaf in the first ever state visit by a Turkish head of state to the country. President Gül and the King will participate in the opening ceremony of the Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies. During his two-day visit, Gül will deliver a speech at Swedish Parliament. The visit has another historic aspect as Patriarchal Vicar of the Syriac Orthodox Church Metropolitan Filiksinos Yusuf Çetin will be the first ever representative of a Turkish minority to accompany the Turkish president.

The Turkish President said that during his tenure at the Foreign Ministry he became a good friend of the slain Swedish Prime Minister Anna Lindh, who was murdered in 2003. He also noted that the over 100,000 Turkish citizens living in Sweden were looking to see ties between the two countries strengthened.

Responding to a question on whether he would shake hands with Swedish far-right Democratic Party leader, Jimmy Akesson, before his speech at Parliament, Gül said everyone had a right to express their opinions in a civilized manner. “I am a civilized person. I shake hands with women and men even if I share an opposing view with them,” he said.

Delegation of businessmen to accompany Gül

President Gül will also be accompanied by a delegation of more than a hundred businessman. The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) has announced in a statement that a delegation headed by TOBB’s chair Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu will participate in a Turkish-Swedish Business Forum in Stockholm. The delegation will gather with the representatives of Swedish business sectors seeking to develop commercial and investment ties, the statement read.

March/09/2013

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world citizen

3/11/2013 10:19:22 PM

Only by being rational and humble can Turkey overcome its structural problems and lack of competitivity. Only by solving its political problems (Kurds, KRG, Greece, Cyprus, Armenia, Israel) can it develop its full economical potential and attract investments. Only by freeing its society (not just muslims) can it progress. Then, maybe TK will become one of the main players, which it is still not.

world citizen

3/11/2013 10:12:47 PM

Supporting Turkey's sucess is great. But over-confidence and irrationanlity does not actually serve Turkey's interests. Yes, a lot of Turkish friends here love to hear such predictions as it makes them feel confident and is like a sweet revenge for being the underdogs for so long. Yet, scientifically speaking, there's no way Turkey would be the strongest in 37 years. No hate or jealousy sorry...

mike alexander

3/11/2013 5:38:58 PM

Foreign View, in order to understand my comment, U need to understand the "President" system which also applies to Turkey. The President should worry about the welfare of the Turkish people and the economics should be mainly the responsibility of the Prime minister. So I still believe that the President should not make predictions which make NO sense anyway given that they R almost 40 years ahead, and worry about the rapes & the human rights in his country. I just hope this will be published

Foreign View

3/11/2013 12:19:25 PM

mike alexander seriously mate, what are you talking about? President was talking about the positive developments of Turkey, the discussion had nothing to do with the issues Turkey was facing. If you want to join the discussion, at least make a valid and mature comment. You are embarrassing the Americans

Chris Green

3/11/2013 12:06:24 PM

If this prediction holds true - I shall be long dead by 2050 - then this is another very good reason for Turkey to stay OUTSIDE of the EU whilst conversely it would be prudent for the EU to let Turkey in! I hope that Turkey develops organically independent of the governance of the EU but mutually trading there with.

cezer skonore

3/11/2013 1:36:25 AM

RED TAIL: You just compared the GDP per capita of the US to that of China in your answer.

Nikos K.

3/10/2013 7:56:41 PM

According to Isaac Newton's theory of gravitation "What goes up must come down". Modern history has shown that this also happens in national economies. Don't be naive guys, it is impossible to predict what's going to happen in 37 years from now. In early 1900s there was optimism in Europe about the future and yet within less than 37 years the continent became the birthplace of two world wars. Gul has every good reason to say that loud and you have every good reason not to believe him.

Red Tail

3/10/2013 7:52:52 PM

Cezer Sconore. People do not compare the GDP per capita between China and US. The reason why China is influential economically is that it is enormous. Its population is twice as big as EU and US together. The GDP per capita though is a different story. EU and US is around 40-50 000 usd. China 4-5000. Turkey is around 12-13000. Personally I wish Gul, whom I think does an excelent job as a president, did not speak like this. No other countries do when they visit our countries.

Ata Dizdar

3/10/2013 5:48:13 PM

I want to know what is Gul smoking, because the way i know this country, there's no way that's going to happen. Every economy eventually goes down after having an up. The way things are going, one never knows when the eventual crash happens. But when it does, Turkey's economy is going to go down hard.

john albay

3/10/2013 5:22:55 PM

@thessalionian yet again more funny rubbish from you. A great lump of Turkey is in Europe,and the rest of course is in Asia but then again so is cyprus,and the greek occupied side is in the EU!@mike alexander, your contry has the higest murder and rape rape in the world plus the largest debt so I would say it is sad your president is and has always ignored all the important issues,indeed!!!

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