EU "surprised" by Turkey's growth rate of 8.9 p.c. in 2010

The European Commission was surprised by Turkey's growth rate of 8.9 percent in 2010 as they were waiting for a growth rate of 7.5 percent.

Evaluating the economic figures of candidate and potential candidate countries in a report prepared on 2010, the European Commission said that Turkey's growth rate of 9.2 percent in the last quarter of 2010 and 8.9 percent for the whole year of 2010 was an "unexpected" development.

The report said that, in 2010, the Turkish economy was much different than Balkan countries whose economies were experiencing difficulties and especially Croatia whose economy shrank.

The Turkish economy shrank 4.8 percent in 2009. The private sector played an important role in the Turkish economy's growth of 8.9 percent in 2010, the Commission report said.

The figures recorded at the end of 2010 show that the Turkish economy would continue to grow in the first quarter of 2011, the Commission report also said.

The European Commission report said that the Turkish economy would grow by 5.5 percent in 2011 and 4.5 percent in 2012.


/World Bulletin/