11.04.2014 Ankara
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accepted the Turkey – EU Joint Arbitration Committee delegation comprised of TESK President Bendevi Palandöken, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Türk-İş Director General Ergün Atalay, Hak-İş Director General Mahmut Arslan, Memur-Sen Director GeneralAhmet Gündoğdu and TİSK Board Chairman Tuğrul Kudatgobilik at the Dolmabahçe office.
Giving a statement following the meeting which took place closed to the
press, the Turkey – EU Joint Arbitration Committee Turkish Wing and TESK
President Bendevi Palandöken stated that they are very well aware that they
will be heard as long as Turkey is heard; that they will exist as long as
Turkey exists; and that they will be strong so long as Turkey is strong.
Stating that they have members from all creeds and ethnic backgrounds,
Palandöken said that the first thing they want is to work in peace and produce,
contributing to Turkey’s growth.
Reporting that the local administrative elections are now behind them,
Palandöken said:
“Local administrative elections are complete. National will has
manifested itself. The ballot box has once again served its purpose. Now, for
the first time, we will elect the President of the Republic by popular vote. An
intense political period is behind us. We think it is imperative that, in order
to allow everyone to focus on their work now, the political atmosphere be
softened.”
- The financial situation is
trying on all of us
Stating that the global economy is undergoing a difficult period,
Palandöken said, “The current financial situation is trying on all of us. Our
members are feeling the negative impact of the financial shock from outside our
borders in their everyday lives. Nobody wants to worry about the future. The
work we do shows that our members who lost hope before look to the future with
optimism. This optimism would be best supported by a visible political
softening.”
Palandöken, emphasizing that Turkey is an open country, stated that they
learned they could prosper by opening up to the rest of the world only by doing
it and went on to stress the fact that a country open to the international
environment must be ready to face the shocks which come from without.
Bendevi Palandöken said, “Negating the adverse financial effects from
without through labor and production necessitates a peaceful political arena
for Turkey in the coming months. That is what we visited from Prime Minister
Erdoğan during this visit. We will also be visiting other party leaders.”
- “A period of elevated democracy
and law”
Bendevi Palandöken stated that Turkey must now focus on the economy, “We
believe that social policy must be reiterated as per our social state structure.
We must support the optimistic belief in Turkey’s future. The determination
shown in the EU process must be sustained. More freedoms, democracy and law
process brought up with the new constitution must move forward. We are aware of
the importance of national will. The authority and judicial province must be
transferred to bureaucratic channels. As important legislative adjustments are
made in regards to the future of Turkey, we believe that these are the points
which require the most attention. The interests of the country are paramount.”