02.11.2017 Ankara
TOBB President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the well-established automotive giants are competing with each other in order to attain new generation of automobile technologies and said, “That's why this is exactly the time for Turkey's automobile.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu began his speech at the “Turkey's Automotive Project
Joint Venture Group Cooperation Protocol Signature Ceremony” at the Presidential
Complex with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, by praying
for the soldiers martyred in the terrorist attack in Hakkari.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they’ve set out to actualize a grand dream
today, pointing out that that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on them to
produce Turkey's automobile.
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We’ve made the sacrifice; we have hosted close to
100 meetings for nearly five months and have planned this process. I always say
the stronger the entrepreneur of a country is, the stronger the country is.
Today, as an entrepreneur of our country, we sell goods to 200 countries. We
produce one of every three home appliances purchased in Europe. From the mass
residences in -40 degrees Celsius of Siberia to the refinery in the sweltering
heat of 40 degrees Celsius of Morocco. We are building the world's largest
airport in İstanbul. We are operating airports in Bombay and Hungary We are
building an airport in Qatar, Tunisia, Macedonia. We are making billion-dollar
purchases. We are selling the goods of our country in the four corners of the
world while Turkish professionals, global companies are managing international
organizations. There is almost a relay race between Turkish global managers.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that now it is time for Turkey to develop
technology to compete with global giants and said, “Here, the initiative of our
government is very important for the expansion of this product set. It is a matter
of grand vision and a new model of economic development. The global automotive
sector is undergoing a very serious transformation. Centennial automotive
giants are competing against each other in order to attain new generation of
automobile technologies. A new company like TESLA is able to compete with these
giants. This is why it is the time for Turkey's automobile and if Turkey is to take
its place in this sector with its own design and own technologies, she must
catch the process of transformation, which I believe we will.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that the project will also be a model for Turkey's
technological transformation and the technologies to be developed as a part of the
project will trigger new product development in many sectors.
Hisarcıklıoğlu thanked President Erdoğan for his vision, and said, “If
it were not for his insistent calls, we would not be here today to build
Turkey's automobile. Leadership and vision are such things, and we really thank
you for all the support you have given in this process. Whenever we visited you
for the project in the last 5 months, you opened the way for us; you gave us
support and morale. I hope we will succeed this project with your leadership
and support.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu thanked Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and Science,
Industry and Technology Minister Faruk Özlü for their support and said, “The
Prime Minister and Minister Özlü told us on the first day that it is not the
job of the government to do this job but ours and that they would support the private
sector comprehensively as the government. Even implementing new legislation
specific to this project if necessary on the instructions of the President. This
trust brought us here today and we stated that if we the government stands
behind us we will succeed in this endeavor. We have listened to all the parties
who have worked on this issue and we have worked diligently to eliminate question
marks.
Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the companies have a total of 110,000 employees
and that their last year's production was close to 65bn TRY.
Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that the signing of the joint venture group today
was a start and added that “We will work very hard for 3-4 months, analyze
alternative technologies and funding opportunities. We will design our government
support for this project together with the ministry in accordance with the
instructions of the President and in the first months of 2018 we will establish
our company.”
- President Erdoğan
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressed his wishes that this meeting,
which announces those who have made the sacrifice for Turkey’s automobile, will
prove beneficial for the country, nation, sector and the venture group.
Erdoğan said, “The late Mohammad Ali said a man without imagination has no
wings.' We had a dream of a Turkish automobile with Turkish branding, Turkish design,
Turkish engineering, Turkish technology, Turkish production, Turkish marketing
which we have convened to promote the joint venture group for that goal. In
fact this is the dream of our nation.”
President Erdoğan stated that there is no tolerance for time lost and said,
“It falls to us to support those working in this venture group. I am declaring
in advance that I will purchase the first car produced.”
- Prime Minister Yıldırım
Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım reminded that they have come together for
an important project and that the process formally initiated by President Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan's and it is now time for the domestic brand car utilizing Turkey’s
potential and strength in the best possible way.
Thanking President Erdoğan, the Minister of Science, Industry and
Technology Faruk Özlü and everyone who has contributed to the process, Yıldırım
also thanked the Union Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President.
We implore Allah to bless this partnership coordinated by TOBB for our nationa
and all parties involved.”
- Minister of Science, Industry
and Technology
Faruk Özlü, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, stated that “All
the innovations in the automotive industry of the domestic brand automobile
will be qualified to respond to digitalization, transformation, software,
demands and trends.
Özlü stated that, “These signatures set down today will bring us closer
to the goal of becoming the world's 10 largest economies and one step closer to
our 2023 vision.” He thanked the venture group signing the business alliance
and to the Union Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) for their unending
support in this endeavor.