Turkey's Erdogan vows democratic and economic reforms in 2021

Turkey will introduce democratic and economic reforms in 2021, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday, Reuters reported. He pledged 2021 would be “the year of democratic and economic reforms”.

Erdogan reiterated his unorthodox vision on Turkish economy and stated that Turkey will introduce new reforms to stifle the "triangle of evil" of interest rates, inflation and exchange rates, adding that Ankara was adamant to form a system based on production and employment.

Erdogan said Turkey was carrying out the democratic reforms ‘’not because it was forced to do, but because our people deserve them’’. ‘’We will do whatever we are supposed to do in order to achieve our goals’’. Reforms will come to parliament as soon as possible, he added.

The Turkish president promised a slate of judicial and economic reforms last month, leading to expectations of the possible release of politicians, including Kurdish ones, and human rights advocates from jail. But Erdogan's recent comments on court rulings and criticism aimed at his government have fueled skepticism about his pledge, Reuters said.

Meanwhile, the Turkish parliament on Saturday passed the first 19 articles of a new bill titled the Law on Preventing Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. More than 630 Turkish NGOs signed on Thursday, a declaration against the bill saying it goes against the Constitution and the freedom of assembly.

Human Rights Watch criticized the bill saying it severely restricts civil society. ‘’The bill threatens the right to freedom of speech and curtails the activities of non-governmental organizations’’, Human Rights Watch said in a written statement.

The HRW also called on the Turkish government to withdraw provisions that would potentially violate the right to freedom of association.

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