The rate set by the Central Bank of Turkey remained unchanged with respect to Dec.15, but the exchange rate on Dec.15 was 2,4140 TL/USD, that is, the Turkish national currency had fallen in price by 29.2 percent in one day, Milliyet said.
The last sudden change of the USD rate in relation to the Turkish lira (2.9 TL/USD) was previously observed in March 2014, according to the newspaper.
The newspaper noted that the current decline of the Turkish lira is connected with the arrest of supporters of Fethullah Gulen.
On Dec.15, the Turkish police detained the Chief Editor of the Zaman newspaper Ekrem Dumanli. Searches took place at the office of the Zaman newspaper and at the Samanyolu broadcasting company, which are believed to be associated with the opposition Gulen movement..
It is reported that in addition to Dumanli, more than 20 unidentified people were detained.
It is also reported that on Dec.14, Turkey conducted operations within the actions against the supporters of Fethullah Gulen.
On February 25, several Turkish media outlets said the telephone conversations of over 7,000 people close to both the country`s ruling party and opposition parties, were wiretapped as part of an anti-terrorist operation against members of the Salam organization in 2011.
It was also reported that the telephone conversations of Turkish intelligence head, Hakan Fidan were also wiretapped under these anti-terrorist operations.
After this, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused representatives of the Gulen movement of being behind the wiretapping. Erdogan also stressed that the Gulen`s movement (which he earlier called as a “parallel structure”) with its anti-state activities proved that it is not a religious movement, but a politicized and illegal structure.
Earlier, the prime minister called on Fethullah Gulen, who is now residing in the US, not to intervene in Turkey`s internal affairs and accused the US of supporting him.
A criminal case has been initiated in Turkey against Fethullah Gulen for a coup attempt and espionage against Turkey.
Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Gulen would be extradited from the US. But the United States authorities stated that extradition of Gulen is unacceptable.
USD rate in Turkey reaches historic peak
17 December 2014
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Over the last eight months, the USD rate during the exchange trades in Turkey reached a historic peak at 3,120 TL/USD, although the official rate of USD on Dec.16 was set at 2,3226 TL/USD, the Turkish newspaper Milliyet said Dec.16.
