16.01.2014 İstanbul
Speaking at the 51st General Assembly of the Financial Development Foundation (İKV), TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu defined the significance of EU membership as ‘becoming a country of rules and institutions’ and said, “The EU compliance process provides us with a tested prescription for success. We must enact this prescription appropriately. In this regard, we must continue with the reforms we began back in 2001. It’s obvious to us all what happens when you stop turning the pedals on a bike.”
The 51st
General Assembly of the İKV was held at the TOBB İstanbul Service Building with
the attendances of the TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, EU Minister
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and İKV President Prof. Dr. Haluk Kabaalioğlu and foundation
members.
In his speech, TOBB
President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that the real sector shoulders an
important mission in regards to the EU as the country’s only specialized
institution. Pointing out İKV as the first and most concrete proof of the
business world’s support to the EU process, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “I would like
to present my gratitude to the foundation’s President, Professor Haluk
Kabaalioğlu, the Board and personnel for their successful efforts. Under Prof.
Kabaalioğlu’s direction, İKV has been very active in keeping the country’s EU
vision alive. They have undertaken very important projects and activities
domestically as well as in Europe. We’ve achieved important progress in regards
to solving such problems as the freedom of travel and visa issues, significant
issues especially for the real sector. As TOBB, we will continue to support the
Financial Development Foundation.”
Expressing his
pleasure in Minister Çavuşoğlu’s presence Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “He is not just
a successful academician and politician but has also been working in regards to
Europe actively for the last ten years. He is both experienced and
knowledgeable in his field.”
- Emphasis on reform
Stating that the EU
economic and political criteria are providing a compass during out period of
financial and political change, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “It has placed at the
foundation of our reform process, human honor and respect for basic human
rights and freedoms. It has strengthened respect for the rule of law. Our
competitive power has increased. Our production standards and quality have
begun to compete globally. Our consumers have benefited from it. Our people
have benefited from it. Turkey benefited from it. Turkey’s EU membership
process is still underway. Significant ground has been covered. We are going to
need further reforms to improve our financial, political and social structures;
consolidate our successes in democracy and the rule of law.
In this regard, we
must continue with the reform which we began in 2001. The Minister is
shouldering a great burden in this regard. As TOBB, we will continue to support
İKV and all of our institutions in every step taken towards the EU.
Patience,
determination and endurance are important. We all know that we are not making
these reforms for the EU. We are making them for our people, for our people to
live on a level with modern civilization. The meaning of EU membership is to
become a country of rules and institutions. It is instating the means for fair
and just competition. It is a tangible roadmap for building a better and
healthier structure. It is an important opportunity to be a country which
strengthens the freedoms of enterprise, idea and conscience; which put people
first.”
- Hisarcıklıoğlu’s call to the EU,
“I would issue a call
to our friends in the EU,” said Hisarcıklıoğlu and stated that Turkey began its
membership process with the joint decision of all EU members. Stating that all
who contributed to this decision would be remembered with fondness, he went on:
“Likewise, those who
cause undue problems during the process, those who mix up politics with
technical matters will, those who choose not in the interest of generations to
come but with regards to coming elections will end up losing.
After a long time, a
new chapter has been opened for negotiations. Steps have been taken towards
visa exemption. People have been given hope. The dominant impression is that
the EU membership process has begun to move along. There is excitement. All of
these developments are greatly satisfactory.
The duty which now
falls to us all is to make the best use of this ray of hope. We must open the
chapters we are technically prepared to fulfill as soon as possible.
It has been over 30
years since the first visa procedure applied to Turkish citizens by EU member
countries.
The visa procedures
and the fact that the have become calcified over time is unacceptable for the
EU and Turkey which have left behind it 50 years together.
Visa procedures which
are a nightmarish issue for citizens; which are inhumane and unjust and which
cause unfair competition in our real sector should be brought to an end.
Visa negotiations
should not be seen as open ended talks, Turkish citizens should be able to
travel freely as soon as conditions are met.”
- “We must make us of the EU’s transformative power”
Stating that Turkey
should benefit more from the globally respected transformative power of the EU,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Although we may think that we know very well where we
want to go, having a roadmap and compass will take us there better than
guesswork.”
Expressing that
furthering the optimism created with addressing the problems encountered
regarding free trade organizations and transportation quotas, the TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In this regard, the inclusion of Turkey in the
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations will aid in this.
It will allow the making of more difficult decisions. This will positively
impact all of us.”
Emphasizing that this
agreement between the EU and the USA is of vital importance for Turkey,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said that this will create a new structure encompassing 70% of
global trade. Hisarcıklıoğlu said that this structure would have the power to
determine trade, investment and global standards.
The TOBB President M.
Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We cannot be left out of this, we can’t afford to
be left out of it. If we are to have say in the global order; if we want to
produce and profit more, we must take our place at the table.
- Ömer Cihad elected as İKV President
Former MÜSİAD
President Ömer Cihad Vardan was elected to İKV Presidency during the İKV 51st
General Assembly presided over by İTO President İbrahim Çağlar. 2013-2015 İKV
Board of Directors is comprised of:
Ömer Cihad Vardan, Prof. Dr.
Haluk Kabaalioğlu, Mesut Okyay, Yavuz Canevi, Atilla Menevşe, Işınsu Kestelli,
Ahmet Sayar, Mehmet Nuri Görenoğlu, Zeynep Bodur Okyay, Baha Telli, İlyas
Gençoğlu, İlhan Soylu, Şükrü Alkan, Münir Üstün, Tuğrul Kutadgobilik, Hikmet
Tanrıverdi, Simone Kaslowski.
Hasan Hüseyin Coşkun and
Kenan Atalay were also elected to the Supervisory Board.