Erdogan describes social media critics of 'economic terror'

The Turkish President blamed the lira's meltdown on the United States.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said social media was ground for “economic terror,” a phrase he used for the first time to describe critics of his administration’s policies amid an unfolding financial crisis that has seen the Turkish lira plummet.

“The judiciary is doing what is necessary. This is treason to the homeland. We shall bury them in their caves. We are the ones who made Turkey the hope of millions of people,” Erdogan said about social media users who attacked the government for the lira’s worst plunge ever to 7.22 against the US Dollar.

“We will make those speculators pay a price,” he added.

He was addressing a meeting at his Ankara Palace of Turkish ambassadors serving around the world.

Earlier in the day, Turkish authorities announced that 346 people were under investigation for “putting the economic security at risk by spreading fake news.”

Erdogan and his son-in-law Finance Minister Berat Albayrak have repeatedly blamed the US for the volatility in the currency’s value, accusing Washington of “waging an economic war on us.”

The Turkish President, who for the past 16 years led his NATO member country into becoming a hot destination for foreign investment, is now struggling to come up with a policy to save the debt-burdened nation from going bankrupt.

US imposition of sanctions on two Turkish ministers for their role in the continued detention of Americans, including pastor Andrew Brunson, have added to the markets’ distrust of investing in Turkey or its currency.

Turkey also recently came under doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum by the Trump administration.

“You just cannot wake up and say we decided we put tariffs. The US is shooting us in the foot. We are taking steps to deal with these attacks,” Erdogan said, claiming the Turkish economy was in good shape.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany