Ankara - The Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Bulent Ecevit, warned yesterday that industrial unrest could have a serious effect on the economy. Tens of thousands of public sector workers had marched through the streets of Ankara on Saturday, threatening industrial action if plans to increase the minimum retirement age were not dropped.
Mr Ecevit's government has launched a series of reforms and has had lengthy negotiations with the International Monetary Fund about bolstering the private sector.
"We will take whatever measures are necessary to revive the economy," he said recently. "We think we can turn the corner quite quickly." But the trade unions are not so sure, accusing Ankara of selling them out to the IMF at a time when inflation is hovering at around 50 per cent.