Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek revealed that they expect this year’s current deficit to be lower than the OVP target. Evaluating the February current balance statistics, Minister Şimşek shared the following statement on his social media account: “In February, the annual current deficit was 12.8 billion dollars, while the net current surplus excluding gold amounted to 1.8 billion dollars. With the impact of decreasing energy prices, we anticipate the current deficit to be lower than our OVP target this year. By ensuring that the current account deficit remains at sustainable levels and reducing the need for external financing, we will continue to utilize our resources to enhance our country’s welfare. We are also carrying out necessary efforts to minimize the limited effect of increasing protectionist tendencies in global trade on our country and to seize potential opportunities. Amid this challenging period, we believe that our effective trade diplomacy and the dynamism of our exporters will lead to a positive differentiation for our country.