Turkish Parliament Speaker Calls IMF Issue a Major Crisis, Backs Diplomacy

Turkish Grand National Assembly Speaker Numan Kurtulmus met Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies President Claude Wiseler at the Turkish parliament on October 22, 2026. The two leaders held one-on-one talks followed by delegation-level discussions before a joint press conference.

Kurtulmus described the IMF issue as one of the most important crises and difficulties Turkey has faced in recent times. He thanked Luxembourg for supporting Turkey's European Union membership process from the beginning.

“The IMF issue is one of the most important crises and difficulties Turkey has faced in recent times.”

On regional security, Kurtulmus said all problems in the region must be resolved through diplomacy and negotiation. He stated that Turkey has continued to play a strong mediator role in the Russia-Ukraine war since the start.

He noted that a draft agreement reached in Istanbul's Dolmabahce in 2022 could not be finalized because some countries viewed the continuation of the war as beneficial to their national interests.

Regarding the Terror-Free Turkey process, Kurtulmus said the disarmament and resignation process of the organization continues. He added that the work of the supreme council established to oversee implementation is proceeding as planned.

Kurtulmus announced that a Monitoring Board will be established in the coming days under the Terror-Free Turkey law. He said everything is proceeding smoothly and nothing is delayed.

On the Middle East, he called for the Strait of Hormuz to return to its pre-war status and for passage through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to remain open to international commercial ships.