Did Turkey’s Erdoğan return from Berlin empty-handed?

Source:Ahval News Date:07Oct2018

Written by Ali Yurttagül was an adviser for the Green/EFA European Parliamentary Group from 1985 to 2014. A member of the German Greens, he is an expert in domestic policy, justice, and human rights, and works on the related parliamentary committees.

The issue of Germany’s economic and financial assistance to Turkey was at the centre of the second Erdoğan-Merkel meeting on Saturday morning. The parties did not talk about this issue during their joint press conference. But Merkel’s announcement of a working group meeting between the German Department of Economy officials and their Turkish counterparts in Turkey in October confirms the parties have an ongoing dialogue on this issue.

But rest assured, Germany has linked the issue of financial and economic assistance to the re-establishment of the rule of law in Turkey and the strengthening of checks and balances. Since Berlin cannot audit Turkey, I believe it very likely the German government suggested Turkey work with the IMF as a prerequisite.