No plans for IMF deal, Turkey's presidential spokesman says
Presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın speaks during a news conference, Ankara, Turkey, March 12, 2020. (AA Photo)


Turkey is not planning to make an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is offering new loans to economies amid the pandemic fallout, a presidential spokesman said on Sunday.

"We do not have IMF on our agenda. ...Turkey does not have an agenda of making a new deal with the IMF, no credit or a new standby agreement," İbrahim Kalın told private broadcaster CNN Türk in an interview.

"In terms of contributing to the recovery of the global economy, the IMF, World Bank, G-20 countries, international institutions and organizations, as well as individual countries, will, of course, fulfill their duties. However, Turkey does not seek an agreement with the IMF," he said.

Turkey has confirmed a total of 1,101 fatalities from the virus that was first detected in China late last year. At least 52,167 have tested positive, according to official figures.

Overall, the disease has infected more than 1.78 million people in 185 countries and regions, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. The death toll is close to 110,000, while almost 410,000 have recovered.