27.03.2019 Kahramanmaraş
Speaking at the Regional Consultation Meeting held in Kahramanmaraş the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu drew attention to the employment campaign, talking about the incentives provided in this regard. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “As TOBB, Chambers and Commodity Exchanges, we are engaged in this mobilization in 81 provinces and 160 counties. We have invited all our businesses to participate in the campaign. Here, I call again on our business world and employers in all surrounding cities, especially in Kahramanmaraş. Take advantage of this historical support, join the employment campaign.”
The
Regional Consultation Meeting took place at the Kahmaranmaraş Chamber of
Commerce and Industry with the attendances of Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan,
TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, TESK President Bendevi Palandöken,
Kahramanmaraş Governor Vahdettin Özkan, Kahramanmaraş Chamber of Commerce and
Industry President Serdar Zabun, Kahramanmaraş Commodity Exchange President
Ahmet Duran Balsuyu and Afşin, Elbistan, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Osmaniye, Kilis and
Hatay Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
TOBB
President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that Kahramanmaraş is an
important industry, trade and agriculture city of the country. Referring to the
fact that the city is also a city of education with 2 universities,
Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Maraş is one of the brand cities of our country with its
ice cream, pepper, tarhana soup, wood carving and copper work. Maraş is very
important to us. On behalf of the merchants and industrialists of Maraş as TOBB,
we provided a Science High School and dormitory to Maraş. Today, we came to
listen to you with our Trade Minister.”
Thanking
the Minister of Trade Ruhsar Pekcan, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “I
believe that with the vision and dynamism of our minister, a new breakthrough
will begin in both domestic and foreign trade.” Congratulating the Kahramanmaraş
CCI, Kahramanmaraş CE, Afşin CCI and Elbistan CCI for hosting this meeting in
Kahramanmaraş Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “There are chambers and exchanges from 7
provinces here: Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Gaziantep, Osmaniye, Kilis, Şanlıurfa
and Hatay. I would like to thank them all individually for coming.”
- Fulfilled demands of chambers/exchanges
Hisarcıklıoğlu
stated that many demands submitted to the government in the last few months
have been realized thanks to the support and follow-up of Minister Pekcan, “Various
measures have been taken to reduce employment costs, increase access to
finance, and reduce tax rates. A new system was introduced, which accelerated
the VAT refunds. Commercial receivables insurance came into force. Our
President and with the participation of Ministers, we carried out the TOBB
Turkey Economy Summit on January 21st; we relayed the issues on our
agenda. Again in this Council, our Chambers and Commodity Exchanges pledged further
employment to the President of the Republic of Turkey. Then on February 25th,
the Employment Mobilization 2019 began with the ‘This is Turkey; There is
Business Here,’ slogan. Within the scope of the Employment Mobilization,
Kahramanmaraş announced its new employment target of 20,000 people. I believe
you will achieve this.
Our
government has also taken steps to support employment. Short working allowance
was brought to the table, for example. Now, there is no need to reduce
employment because things have slowed down. Apply and premiums are paid for 3
months. New incentives came to additional employment. For example, every
additional employment until April 30th will be receive fee-tax-premium
from the government for 3 months and for the next 9 months, you only need to
pay wages. These previously unseen, historical supports came into play. TOBB,
Chambers and Commodity Exchanges are fully in support of this mobilization in 81
provinces and 160 counties.
We
invite all our businesses to participate in the campaign. Here, I call again on
our business world and employers in all surrounding cities, especially in
Kahramanmaraş. Take advantage of these historical supports, join the employment
campaign.”
- Exports push
Noting
that they have started an exports push under the leadership of Minister Pekcan,
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they’ve established Export Support Offices within
the chambers together with the Ministry. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Our chambers will
serve as guide captains for all exporters through these offices. A demand from
our companies was to make Eximbank more active. Thanks to the work of the
Minister, Eximbank became more accessible for our SMEs. In 2017, the share of
SMEs in Eximbank loans was 53%.
Now
the SME share has reached 71%. Furthermore, with the instructions of the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eximbank is beginning to offer more cost-effective
investment financing to our producers/exporters. In this context, a financing
protocol of 200 million USD was signed with 9 leasing companies. There are
positive developments in interest rates in the last 2-3 months. The decline in
bank loans has ended and begun to increase again. In short, we can see ahead
more clearly than before.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
also mentioned that there are problems in the business world, but underlined
that they have the power to overcome them all. “As the Turkish business world,
we have proved many times in the past what we can do, how dynamic and
productive we are, despite every obstacle we face. Through private
sector-public sector consultation, we can overcome all problems.” The TOBB
President stated that, together, they will bring Turkey to the place it
deserves.