(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Turkish carmaker Ford Otosan on Wednesday suspended its operations due to strikes, the company said in a stock market filing.

Ford Otosan, a joint venture of Koc Holding and Ford, said that car production would stop as vehicle parts coming from supplier companies located in the Bursa province have halted due to the strikes. This makes production impossible in the Golcuk and Yenikoy factories, the statement said.

Since Thursday, workers are on strike at the Renault factory, Tofas-Fiat's affiliate company factory, and the automobile supplier factories Coskunoz and Mako for an increase in salaries and for the abolishment of the Turkish Metal Industries Employers Association.

Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, in an interview with a private TV station, said that the timing of these expanding strikes is remarkable as the country is on the threshold of general elections.

"When these issues came to the fore suddenly with no reason, two to three weeks ahead of elections, naturally it raises doubts " he said.

Babacan said that there were similar situations in other sectors but they were not as broadly covered in media as these strikes have been.

"We do our part and the prime minister is involved closely with these issues" he commented.