Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday said the proposed constitutional changes aimed at expanding Turkey's president's power, which Ankara's opposition parties oppose, would boost the country's economic development.

He added that Turkey's economy grew by 2.9 percent in 2016 despite negative outlooks by credit rating agencies.

Speaking at a rally in the capital Ankara, Erdogan said the 2.9 percent growth in 2016 is not enough for Turkey, but it is above the estimates of credit rating agencies.

The data issued by the Turkish Statistical Institute on Friday shows Turkey's gross domestic product growth at 2.9 percent in 2016, with a per capita income of 10,807 U.S. dollars.

"Some people can underestimate this rate," the president said, citing that the average economic growth of the European Union and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries is 1.5 percent and 1.7 percent respectively.

Erdogan also slammed EU countries over delaying Turkey's accession for 54 years, saying "the EU is a Christian union."

"They have been lying to us in a row for decades. And they keep on lying," he said. "April 16 will be the day to reassess this issue."

The president said the Turkish nation of 80 million population "will give the greatest lesson to all the leaders of the west."

Constitutional referendum will be hold in Turkey on April 16, which will bring drastic changes to the country's political system, including a shift to the executive presidential system from the current parliamentary system.

The referendum will ask the electorate to vote Yes or No to the changes proposed in an 18-article bill. The Yes campaign is backed by the ruling Justice and Development Party and the Nationalist Movement Party.

Source: Xinhua