Turkey's Erdogan opens half-empty financial hub in Istanbul ahead of polls
Incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denies the country is facing an economic crisis, while attacking the opposition for making backroom deals with money lenders.
IZMIR, Turkey — Keen to show off mega-projects ahead of crucial polls next month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened a $3.4 billion financial center in Istanbul on Monday as he pledged a “new financial ecosystem” for economic crisis-hit Turkey.
“Istanbul Financial Center (IFC) will create a new ecosystem by linking three continents. It will increase the country's potential to attract investment by facilitating international capital flows,” Erdogan told a large audience of ministers, economy bureaucrats and the public.
