Minister of Treasury and Finance Simsek announced that they expect sustainable current balance to continue this year. Minister Simsek stated, “We are continuing to increase our support for production and exports.” Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Simsek evaluated foreign trade data. Minister Simsek used the following expressions in a social media post: “While exports contracted annually by 1.5% in February due to parity effects, working day deficiencies, and adverse weather conditions, the increase in the first two months was 2.1%. In February, imports increased by 3.8% annually, while imports excluding gold and energy decreased by 3.1%. Thus, the foreign trade balance excluding gold and energy improved. With increasing uncertainties in global trade, protectionist policies, weak growth outlook of the EU, natural gas prices, and the impact of the recovery in our economic activity, we expect an increase in the foreign trade deficit this year, but we anticipate the sustainable current balance to continue. We are continuing to increase our support to limit the impacts of existing conditions on production and exports.”