23.02.2019 Manisa
Attending the Regional Consultation Meeting held in Manisa with the Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu called on the business world to make use of the opportunities provided by the government, especially regarding employment. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In the last 2-3 months, there have been positive developments in foreign currency and interest rates. The decrease in bank loans came to an end. In short, compared to yesterday, we are able to better see ahead clearly.”
The
Regional Consultation Meeting was held at the Anemon Hotel hosted by Manisa
Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Manisa Commodity Exchange. TOBB President
M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, in his speech, stated that many of their wishes,
formulated working with the Presidents of the chambers and commodity exchanges,
have been fulfilled by the government in the last few months with Minister
Pekcan's support and follow-up. Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that various
measures were taken to reduce employment costs, alleviate financial burdens and
bring about motion to the markets, “A new system to accelerate VAT returns is about
to enter into effect. With the participation of the President of the Republic
of Turkey and our Ministers, we conveyed the issues that are on our agenda to
the government at the TOBB Turkey Economic Council on January 21st. Also
at the Summit, the President of the Republic of Turkey received the employment pledges
from our Chambers and Commodity Exchanges. Manisa announced its pledge to
provide new employment to 60,000 there; I believe you will succeed. Our
government has taken steps to support employment. For example, the
short-working allowance has come into effect. Now you don’t need to decrease
employment because business slows down. Apply for it and the Fund pays the fees
for the first three months. So far 55,000 employees have benefited from it.
Second, new incentives have come to additional employment. For example, for every
additional employment until April 30th, the wage-tax-premium will be
taken on by the government; you will only need to pay salaries for the next 9
months. These supports are unlike any seen before. On Monday, we are holding
TOBB Turkey sectoral Economic Council with our government. There, we will
launch these. Hopefully we will make the most of it and increase employment. Additionally,
under the leadership of our Minister, we started an export push. With the Trade
Ministry, we have established export support offices in 16 provinces. Our chambers,
through these offices, will provide guidance to exporters in all matters.”
- SME share increased in Eximbank
Reminding
that, in the past, one of the requests from companies was to make Eximbank more
active, the TOBB President said, “Thanks to the work of Minister Pekcan, our
SMEs’ access to Eximbank has been facilitated. In 2017, SME's share in Eximbank
loans was 53%. Now the SME weight has reached 71%.
Furthermore,
with the instructions of our esteemed Minister, Eximbank is beginning to offer
cheaper investment financing to our producers-exporters.” Stating that, in this
context, 9 leasing companies signed a financing protocol of 200 million USD,
Hisarcıklıoğlu thanked Minister Pekcan for her continued, result-oriented, work
in consultation with the business world.
- “We can see ahead more clearly.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that there were positive developments in the exchange rate and interest
rates in the last 2-3 months, and stated that bank loans have started to
increase and said, “We see today more clearly compared to yesterday.”
Pointing
out that the business world naturally has difficulties, the TOBB president said,
“But let's always keep this in mind: As the Turkish business world, despite all
the obstacles we face, we have proved many times in the past what we can do,
how dynamic and productive we are. Through private sector-government consultation,
we have seen that we have overcome all problems. We believe that all this
turbulent process is temporary. Because the foundations of the Turkish economy
are robust.
Look,
in the last 25 years, we've had many crises and much turbulence. We overcame
them and moved forward. I hope that we will join hands again and bring our
country back to its rightful place. We're going to be one of the largest economies
in the world. As long as we don't alienate each other. Let's not view anybody
else as the other. Let us preserve the unity and solidarity of our country, of our
nation. That's when we will overcome this bump in the road and continue on our
way.”
- Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan
In
her speech, Minister of Trade Ruhsar Pekcan stated that provincial trade directors
would be more active in the new term, standing by consumers and honest
tradesmen.
Speaking
at the Regional Consultation Meeting in Manisa, Pekcan said that they are
working to make Turkey a developed, strong, stable and reputable country, and
they attach great importance to exporting more, producing more value added
products and digitization in trade.
Pekcan
reported that they have opened export support offices throughout the country to
support trade, training companies which want to export; they have increased
branches of Eximbank which are financing exporters and they want more SMEs to
benefit from Eximbank.
Pekcan
pointed out that they are working aimed at women and young entrepreneurs. She invited
women and young people to take advantage of these opportunities.
Pekcan,
stating that they’ve held a meeting with the trade directors of 81 provinces
the previous day and went on:
“In
April, we hope to hold have a meeting with our trade advisers and trade
attachés from all over the world. Our provincial trade directors will now be
more active. They will stand by the public, the consumer and the honest
tradesmen. In order to maintain that balance, our trade advisers will be more active;
they will work to expand the horizons of our exporters and contribute to
Turkey’s exports.
Our
goal is not only to increase exports. We are also successfully implementing
import policies that will protect the domestic and national producers. We
closed last year at a record level with an export figure of 168 billion USD.
But most importantly, we have brought the ratio of exports to imports from 57%
to 75%. In just January, this figure is at 85%."
Reporting
that they are providing exporters with e-commerce and e-export training, Pekcan
stated they are continuing to work on retail trade law, asking for Manisa to
pledge that it will reach 10 billion USD in exports by the end of the year.