03.09.2019 Ankara
A business luncheon was held in honor of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš at the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB). TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu, noting that they even wanted to expand trade relations with the Czech Republic, said, “I believe that we can conduct increased trade and investment with the Czech Republic in the coming period. Presently we can increase our 3.7 billion USD trade volume easily to 5 billion USD. We await more Czech companies to Turkey in order to increase investments. We are ready to work together for more Turkish entrepreneurs to go to the Czech Republic, which has the best business and investment environment in Central Europe.”
The
opening speeches of the dinner held at the TOBB Reception Hall were delivered
by the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babiš, the Minister of
Commerce and Industry of the Czech Republic Karel Havlicek, Trade Minister
Ruhsar Pekcan, the President of the Czech Republic Chamber of Commerce Vladimir
Dlouhy and TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu who hosted the event.
During
the dinner attended by Turkish and Czech business people, trade and investment
relations between Turkey and the Czech Republic were discussed.
In
his speech at the opening of the business luncheon, TOBB President
Hisarcıklıoğlu reminded that TOBB is the umbrella organization of business in
Turkey, “Small, medium and large companies, both domestic and foreign, are all
our members. We have 1.5 million members. We represent all sectors of the
economy such as trade, industry, agriculture, logistics, contracting and
tourism.” Hisarcıklıoğlu, speaking in regards to TOBB's structure and
Turkish-Czech trade relations, said, “We have a very extensive network abroad.
We take part in the management of all business organizations in Europe,
Asia-Pacific and Islamic regions. I am Vice-President of Eurochambers, the
largest business organization in Europe, and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce,
Industry and Agriculture. We work together with the Chamber of the Czech
Republic on the bilateral level and within the Eurochambers.
My
friend Vlademir, President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic,
makes significant contributions to the work of EUROCHAMBRES. He successfully
chairs the EUROCHAMBRES Future of Europe Workgroup. We wish to further expand
our business relations with the Czech Republic. The fact that we are here today
with a large business delegation is a sign of this. The Turkish and Czech
peoples are already two people who have always regarded each other positively.
We
know the Czech Republic through its legendary city, Prague, which has always
been a cultural, political center in Central Europe with a history of more than
a thousand years, through Antonin Dvorak, Franz Kafka, Milan Kundera, Jan
Neruda, Vaclav Havel and Milos Forman.
The
Chair of Turcology, which began its research at Charles University in Prague in
the 2009-2010 academic year, the oldest university in Central Europe, is one of
our important common denominators.”
- Thanks to the Czech Republic
Stated
that they have always appreciated the support of the Czech Republic to Turkey, Hisarcıklıoğlu
said, “In the past, the Czech Republic has always supported our country’s EU
process. Three years ago, on July 15, 2016, in the FETÖ coup against our
democracy, the coup traitors attacked the Turkish Grand National Assembly. As a
result, all the chandeliers made of Bohemian Crystals in the hall of honor were
broken. Pavel Kafka, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Ankara, visited the
Turkish Grand National Assembly to support us. Seeing that the chandeliers were
destroyed, he contacted his government. The same crystal chandeliers were
rebuilt and presented as a gift to our Assembly. I would like to express my
gratitude to Ambassador Pavel Kafka and the Government of the Czech Republic
for this beautiful gesture of great importance for us during this difficult
time.”
- “We can increase trade volume to
5 billion USD in a short time”
Emphasizing
his belief that they can increase trade and investment with the Czech Republic
in the upcoming period, TOBB President pointed out that Czech Prime Minister
Andrej Babiš is a successful entrepreneur and investor who knows the business
world. Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Babiš is aware of their concerns and
problems. “Presently we can increase our 3.7 billion USD trade volume easily to
5 billion USD. Czech investments in Turkey have almost reached 700 million USD.
We await more Czech companies to Turkey in order to increase investments. Our
investments in the Czech Republic are only 20 million USD. However, last year,
the direct investments made by Turkish companies abroad reached 4 billion USD. We
are ready to work together for more Turkish entrepreneurs to go to the Czech
Republic, which has the best business and investment environment in Central
Europe.” Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that Turkish contractors undertook 261
projects worth 19 billion USD abroad last year, pointing out that there are
power plants, roads, tunnels and bridges among them.
- Quota problems of transporters
TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that the Czech Republic is an important
transit country in the transport of Turkish goods to EU countries and
especially to Germany. “However we are only able to acquire a 10,000 annual
transportation quota from the Czech Republic. This creates a bottleneck for our
transit transportation. Slovakia, on a similar route, does not impose any
restrictions on transit. Similarly, we wish that no restrictions be imposed on
transports that will pass through the Czech Republic. We ask the Prime Minister
and his delegation to help us with this. Czech Republic has always supported Turkey
in its dealings with the European Union. Therefore, on behalf of the business
community, I would like to thank all the Czech governments, especially Prime
Minister Babiş. Turkey-EU relations needs more support from the Czech Republic.
In particular, we look forward to the support of the Czech Government and the
business community in the modernization of the Customs Union and visa
liberalization.”
- Czech Republic Prime Minister
Andrej Babiš
Czech
Republic Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said in his speech, “We have a long-term
investment plan. We want to complete the highway network and invest in
high-speed trains. I am sure that we can cooperate on these issues."
Babiš,
noting that Czech business people have accompanied him on his Turkey visit,
said that there are promising areas of cooperation between the two countries.
Noting
that both countries are not satisfied with the current trade volume, Babiš said
that the Czech Republic exports 87% of the goods it produces to the European
Union, but that the government supports entrepreneurs in opening up to new
markets.
Babiš,
stating that Czech companies are carrying out successful projects in Turkey
such as smart cities, mining, energy and continued:
“The
Czech Republic is a medium-sized country in the EU, but we have a long and
successful tradition of industrial production. We are one of the countries
where industry has the largest share in GDP. Czech Republic produces high
quality products and has expert and qualified personnel. We are introducing a
new innovation strategy and believe that the Czech Republic is the country of
the future. We also have a long-term investment plan. We want to complete the
highway network and invest in high-speed trains. I'm sure we can cooperate on
these issues.”
Babiš
also said that they will relay the Turkish demands in regards to transit
transportation with the Minister of Transport.
- Minister of Commerce Ruhsar
Pekcan
Trade
Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said, “About 600 million USD of investment have been made
from the Czech Republic to Turkey. We want to continue to increase these
investments.”
Pekcan,
in her speech at the business luncheon held at the Union of Chambers and
Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) attended by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš
with Czech Republic Commerce and Industry Minister Karel Havlicek, stated that
the close and cooperative contact between the two countries has been ongoing on
multiple levels for quite some time and that bilateral relations would continue
to strengthen.
Reporting
that, prior to the business luncheon, they held a meeting with Babiš, Havlicek
and the delegation accompanying them, Pekcan stated that they’ve discussed increasing
the bilateral trade volume between the two countries and diversification of
trade relations.
Pekcan,
noting that the Czech Republic focuses on the manufacture of high value-added, high-tech
products like Turkey and said:
“Czech
Republic has invested approximately 600 million USD in Turkey. We want to
continue to increase these investments. We would be happy to see Turkish and
Czech joint investment projects in tech investments in our free zones, which we
are converting into technology greenhouses, as everywhere else in Turkey.”
Emphasized
the need for the removal of trade barriers in order to increase the trade
volume between the Czech Republic and Turkey, Pekcan stated that they are
discussing many issues such as the steel quotas for Turkey and the
modernization of the Customs Union.
- Minister of Trade and Industry of
the Czech Republic Karel Havlicek
Czech
Republic Trade and Industry Minister Karel Havlicek also stated that they
appreciate Turkey's industrial and innovative development experience in the
field of economics particularly in the last 10 years, that they would continue
their cooperation.
Noting
new cooperation opportunities between Turkey Havlicek said, “Cooperation can be
improved in the energy, steel and pharmaceutical sectors; we understand your demands
and needs. All positions should be analyzed and discussed.”
Havlicek
stated that they will make the Czech Republic the country of the future and
that they have invested in areas such as smart infrastructure, R&D and
startups.
- Vladimir Dlouhy, President of the
Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic
Czech
Republic Chamber of Commerce President Vladimir Dlouhy stated that there are
many avenues of cooperation open to improvement between Turkey and the Czech
Republic ranging from energy to electricity, railway and highway construction
to drug production and that they are in favor of the development of bilateral
trade.
Stating
that the basis of trade relations with Turkey is based on the establishment of
the Republic, Dlouhy said, “There has been incredible development since I first
visited Turkey in 1991 and then in 1993. Turkey is ahead of us in some parts of
industrialization. We expect Turkish contractors to contribute to the planned
highway and infrastructure projects in the new period.”
Dlouhy,
also pointing to the importance of Czech Republic and Turkey cooperation at the
EU level, stressed that the EU needs to leave more doors open in its trade
relations with Turkey.