23.01.2014 Antalya
During his speech at the Antalya TSO Traditional Tax Award Ceremony, TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We did it once before at the 2001 crisis. We will focus on Turkey’s future. If we focus on the future, if there is hope, I believe that there is nothing we cannot accomplish as the Turkish sector and entrepreneurs.”
Attending the
traditional Award Ceremony held by the Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(TSO) in addition to TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu were Food,
Agriculture and Livestock Minister Mehdi Eker, EU Minister and Chief Negotiator
Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and TOBB Board Vice President and Antalya TSO Board President Çetin
Osman Budak.
Speaking at the
ceremony, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Antalya, which he visits
three times a year, is a great morale boost for him, that the unity and
solidarity to be found in Antalya is quite important for the Turkish private
sector. Hisarcıklıoğlu said that it is important for individuals of differing
views, convictions to come together on a single platform for the development of
Antalya’s economy.
Recalling the saying,
“Grace in unity; anguish in dissent,” Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that political
and professional organizations in Antalya are producing joint projects for the
city. Reminding everyone that the province which brought the local products
fair to Turkey’s attention was Antalya, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that, thanks to
this, one of the main focuses of the retail legislation has become local products.
Congratulating
Antalya for producing another minister, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “I would like to
congratulate the EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu. He has
proven to us just how active a Turkish parliamentarian can be in Europe. In this
regard, I believe that we can complete the most important transformation
project together with the support of the Turkish private sector.”
Reporting that they
have visited Brussels along with representatives of the workers’, public
servants’ and agricultural chambers’ chambers, Hisarcıklıoğlu went on: “We went
to Brussels in order to show that we, the NGOs and professional organizations,
fully support Turkey’s transformation project.
I believe that
Çavuşoğlu will succeed at his new post. I believe that he will achieve an
important task with the transformation project. A job well done should be
appreciated. You will benefit from it. In ceremonies such as this, those who
are up at the front ask for no money, only applause.”
Drawing attention to
the fact that Turkey is the 7th largest country in the world in
regards to agricultural production, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “Turkey
achieved this by enacting a strategy when there was none. Turkey has become a
brand name for vegetables and fruit production. The capital of which is the
rapidly growing Antalya. The ratio of entrepreneurs increased by an average of
35% while Antalya’s ratio increased by 45% in the last 5 years.
Employment increased
by 38% in the last 5 years throughout Turkey while it was 48% in Antalya; the
employment of women increased by 54% while it was 72% in Antalya. There is a
100% increase in Antalya’s institution tax and 60% in income taxes. While 5
million lost gainful employment in Europe, the Turkish private sector provided
5 million people with employment over the course of the last 5 years.”
We achieved all of
this despite a global crisis. One of the greatest contributors to this success
is Antalya. Antalya is the only city which brings in 10 billion USD in exports
in Turkey. If Antalya sneezes, Turkey gets sick. Antalya puts out 9 billion TL
in agricultural production and exports 500 million USD worth of agricultural
goods. If it weren’t for Antalya, Ankara and İstanbul would not have vegetables
and fruits.”
Stating that tourism
has also contributed greatly to Turkey’s growth even with the global crisis,
the TOBB President said, “The current deficit for 2013 amounted to 60 billion
USD due to energy. If it weren’t for the tourism industry, the deficit would
have been 90 billion USD. Turkey would have had to finance this deficit. That
is why Antalya is important. Antalya deserves to be connected with a high-speed
train and an extension to its runways at the Gazipaşa Airport.”
Calling to mind the
promise to address issues stemming from overdraft checks, Hisarcıklıoğlu said,
“There was a bubble in overdraft checks. We said we were working on the issue.
This has been entered into the legislation. We now have the ability to view
history on the entity paying us in checks by registering at the credit registry
bureau in chambers of commerce and industry. No longer will we have to trade in
the blind. We can conduct trade in an informed manner.”
Stating that one
should not focus on the daily happenings of temporary nature overly much, TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We need to look at the big picture. We have the
power to overcome these problems as the private sector. We showed this during
the 2001 crisis. We will focus on Turkey’s future. If we focus on the future,
if there is hope, I believe that there is nothing we cannot accomplish as the
Turkish sector and entrepreneurs.”
- Other speakers
TOBB Board Vice
President and Antalya TSO Board President Çetin Osman Budak stated that Turkey
is undergoing a difficult period of time with tension in politics, the streets,
as well as in governmental institutions. Budak said that this tension is
negatively impacting the economy.
Budak drew attention
to the fact that the basis of development is founded on freedom democracy and
law. Budak stated that Turkey is in need of a new model for growth and stressed
the need for public and private sector cooperation.
EU Minister and Chief Negotiator Mevlüt
Çavuşoğlu expressed his happiness in seeing Turkey grow despite the global
crisis. Stating that the exports from Antalya have increased in the last 10
years, Çavuşoğlu reported that 14 billion TL of investments have been made into
Antalya. Stating that they are very pleased with the partnership with Antalya
as the EU Ministry, Çavuşoğlu said that Antalya is making great use of the EU
financial cooperation.
Food, Agriculture and
Livestock Minister Mehdi Eker reported that the forestation work at the venue
where the Antalya EXPO 2016 would take place has started today. Pointing out
the importance of the agriculture sector, Eker stated that they do not view
agriculture as just a social area concerning people living in rural areas;
stating that they view agriculture to be a strategic matter in regards to the
projection that it will become one of the most important areas of contention in
the 21st century.