27.06.2014 Ankara

The aid campaign spearheaded by TOBB for the families of the workers who lost their lives at the Soma disaster has accumulated a total of 16,838,164 TRY. TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu presented the cheque for the current sum of donations to the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to be relayed to the Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received the delegation lead by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu at the Beylerbeyi Palace. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was presented with the cheque for the current sum of16,838,164 TRY in donations.

Also present during the meeting was PM Deputy Beşir Atalay and TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu as well as TOBB Board Vice Preisdents İbrahim Çağlar, Halim Mete and Ali Kopuz, TOBB Board Members İbrahim Burkay and Necdet Özer, Ankara Chamber of Commerce Chairman Salih Bezci, Kocaeli Chamber of Industry Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu, İstanbul Chamber of Industry Chairman Erdal Bahçıvan, Nevşehir Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Arif Parmaksız, İMEAK Maritime Commerce Chamber Chairman Metin Kalkavan and Soma Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Hakan Işık.

The campaign started off by a donation of 5 million TRY by TOBB garnered great support, both nationally and internationally from chambers, exchanges, institutions as well as businessmen and citizens.

Presenting the cheque to the PM, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that 16.8 million TRY had been reached through donations from chambers and exchanges in 160 counties and 81 provinces.

Expressing his hope to never again witness such pain again, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the nation had once again united in the face of adversity and thanked everyone who had provided their support.