In the first week of September, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) reported year-on-year second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth as 5.1%. The first quarter was recorded as 5%, and Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci predicted 7% growth rate for the third quarter. He boasted that the Turkish economy outperformed the economies of most European Union members and ranks third behind China and India among G-20 countries.

Considering that more than 100,000 people were purged from government employment, tens of private businesses were confiscated by the government after the coup attempt for being associated with the Gulen movement, and increasing social and political pressures due to the state of emergency law, several analysts have predicted a struggling economy for 2016 and onward.

Warning signs conflict with Zeybekci’s statements. For example, on Sept. 11, the World Bank announced it has extended a $400 million loan to Turkey. Core inflation has reached double digits for the first time since 2005. So has emergency law been good for the overall health of the Turkish economy?

Minister of Interior Suleyman Soylu, emphasizing the 5.1% growth rate, is convinced that big businesses should be thankful to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the emergency law. Reacting to the Turkish Industry and Business Association’s call for a return to normalcy, Soylu said, “I ask big businesses of Istanbul what is wrong with emergency law?” and called upon them to thank God for Erdogan.