Turk PM Yilmaz Denies Early Polls Deal
April 29, 1998 - 0:0
ANKARA Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz denied on Tuesday making a deal with an opposition powerbroker to dissolve the government in October as part of a plan to hold early general elections next year. We did not make this the subject of a definite agreement with Mr Baykal, Anatolian agency quoted Yilmaz as saying. Left-wing leader Deniz Baykal said last week he and Yilmaz had agreed on dissolving the government in October to set up an interim administration that would take the country to early general elections next March. Yilmaz later implied that he and Baykal were in agreement but he has since come under fire from his coalition partners and the media, who say the plan is a recipe for uncertainty.
Worries over the early election plans have shaken Turkey's politically sensitive financial markets. Turkish stocks closed down 3.66 percent on Tuesday after falling 7.9 percent since the meeting last Thursday between Baykal and Yilmaz. Shares had soared in recent weeks on hopes the government could see the year out and complete planned economic reforms. Yilmaz's minority coalition, which relies on the support of Baykal and his 56 MPs in Parliament, is under pressure to push through legislation to reform the economy and bring down raging annual inflation currently at 97 percent.
Baykal said in comments published on Tuesday he would not force Yilmaz to stick to the early poll plan. It's not as if we are going to force early elections. We are not going to put a gun and bayonet at his back and push him towards elections, the Milliyet daily quoted Deniz Baykal as saying. Baykal demanded to know whether Yilmaz would stick to what he saw as a clear agreement.
I want to see whether Mesut Yilmaz will stand behind the agreement we made or not, the leftist leader told a meeting of his party MPs on Tuesday. It looks as if Yilmaz has made a new evaluation. Why has Yilmaz given up on it?...I have no doubt the agreement which lifts the crisis atmosphere, the uncertainty, is a positive and constructive agreement, Baykal said.
General elections are not due until December 2000. Baykal told his deputies he did not wish to see a crisis. We will behave responsibly and not create a government crisis for no reason, Baykal said. (Reuter)
Worries over the early election plans have shaken Turkey's politically sensitive financial markets. Turkish stocks closed down 3.66 percent on Tuesday after falling 7.9 percent since the meeting last Thursday between Baykal and Yilmaz. Shares had soared in recent weeks on hopes the government could see the year out and complete planned economic reforms. Yilmaz's minority coalition, which relies on the support of Baykal and his 56 MPs in Parliament, is under pressure to push through legislation to reform the economy and bring down raging annual inflation currently at 97 percent.
Baykal said in comments published on Tuesday he would not force Yilmaz to stick to the early poll plan. It's not as if we are going to force early elections. We are not going to put a gun and bayonet at his back and push him towards elections, the Milliyet daily quoted Deniz Baykal as saying. Baykal demanded to know whether Yilmaz would stick to what he saw as a clear agreement.
I want to see whether Mesut Yilmaz will stand behind the agreement we made or not, the leftist leader told a meeting of his party MPs on Tuesday. It looks as if Yilmaz has made a new evaluation. Why has Yilmaz given up on it?...I have no doubt the agreement which lifts the crisis atmosphere, the uncertainty, is a positive and constructive agreement, Baykal said.
General elections are not due until December 2000. Baykal told his deputies he did not wish to see a crisis. We will behave responsibly and not create a government crisis for no reason, Baykal said. (Reuter)