Turkey’s deputy PM slams Greece over debts
Turkey?s Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc on Friday became the second high-ranking Turkish government official to speculate on the risk of bankruptcy faced by Greece.
?They can?t pay employees? salaries, the wages of the president, MPs and ministers have been frozen. They have debts,? Arinc said.
?Depending on aid from the European Union, they issue desperate calls for help,? he added, just a few days before Turks go to the polls for general elections.
The deputy PM went on to criticize Greece for ?selling its own country,? claiming that in addition to state assets and businesses, Greeks were selling a range of islands.
Arinc?s comments came just two days after Turkish President Abdullah Gul claimed that Greece could soon go bankrupt due to the crushing interest payments it is being forced to pay as part of its loan deal with international creditors.
?Greece is about to go bankrupt. If someone?s ability to pay is weak, they demand high interest. If the ability to pay is high, the interest demanded is low,? Gul said.
Responding to Gul?s comments on Friday, Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras stated that Greece would prove wrong those who are hoping for or investing in its bankruptcy.
?History has shown that it is a mistake to underestimate Greece,? he said.
