Turkish people deserve more than $4,000

In his speech, Unakitan stressed countries undertaking change may face difficulties. Noting Turkey will overcome such problems, he said Turkey is already in a period of normalization. "The figures expressed are perceived extraordinary since Turkish people have not seen such figures for years," he said.

In response to critics of the implementation of privatization he said, "Tenders are submitted to every privatization. The auctions are transparent and some of them are even broadcast. Hence nobody, including me, knows what will happen."

Unakitan mentioned privatization of important state corporations such as Telekom, Tekel and Milli Piyango. He said he would inform the public about privatizations planned in the last quarter of 2004 and in 2005 soon. Unakitan added that energy privatizations are also on the agenda.

Recalling the Turkish economy came very close to the brink three years ago, he said Turkey has become a country expecting a date to start accession talks to the European Union. Unakitan said he would organize a press conference about the latest developments.

Unakitan later made a speech at the opening ceremony of the Sulfuric Acid Facility, located in a district of Balikesir, Bandirma on Saturday.

In his speech, he said, "There is no doubt the current account deficit will not pose obstacles to our development or cause us any problem." He underlined Turkey is not a country that experiences difficulties stemming from a deficit of about $3 million anymore.

In 2004, the government’s revenue stemming from privatization reached $1 million," he noted. Unakitan said a healthy development is the development realized by the private sector.

Kemal Unakitan criticized those opposing privatization but who support the idea of an industrialised state. Recalling Antalya Metallurgy Facilities had made a loss of TL 143 trillion in 2003, he noted the opponents even objected to its privatization despite it losing money continuously.

He pointed out, "The state cannot be an industrialist, a banker or a merchant; the only function of the state is to be the state."