"Turkish banks instructed not to sell foreign currency to corporate customers"

The banks in Turkey have been instructed by authorities not to sell foreign currency to business customers and to restrict foreign currency sales to individuals, a senior opposition figure claimed.

Kerim Rota, in charge of economy policies of the opposition Future Party, said on Thursday:

"The banks have been 'told' by a Turkish Central Bank vice president not to sell on Thursday and Friday foreign currencies to anyone except individual customers and holders of currency protected deposit accounts. The companies are unable to purchase foreign currency today."

He added:

"The officials of the economy administration are now resorting to daily restrictions to defer the balance of payments crisis caused by wrong policies till after the elections. Their only objective is to provide support for the ruling party till the elections. They don't care if the citizens are further crushed by inflation, if our [foreign currency] reserves are depleted, if the income equality and the unequal distribution of wealth further increase."