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Turkish deputy PM: Coup's economic wounds 'easy to manage'

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Mehmet Simsek, Turkey’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs, expresses optimism on the recent coup attempt's economic effects, saying the only real damage was to Turkey's image in the West.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek poses during an interview with Reuters in Ankara, Turkey, December 23, 2015. Simsek said he expects gross domestic product to grow a higher-than-expected 3.5-4 percent this year and sees growth next year above the official 4 percent forecast. Picture taken December 23, 2015. To match Interview TURKEY-ECONOMY/SIMSEK REUTERS/Umit Bektas  - RTX1ZZ1V

Turkey is trying hard to return to normal after the failed coup attempt. Although one subject is less discussed than others, it is an important issue: the potential effect of the attempt on Turkey’s economy. In an Aug. 4 interview in Ankara, Mehmet Simsek, the deputy prime minister responsible for the economy, spoke to Al-Monitor about Turkey’s financial future. He said he doesn’t expect lasting damage to the country’s economy, but is mostly worried about negative perceptions of Turkey among the Western public.

The text of the interview follows:

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