11.12.2019 Gaziantep
Attending the opening of the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce Arbitration and Mediation Center, the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, stressed the importance of the mediation system, “We as the Chamber-Commodity Exchange community give our full support to this system. We make great efforts to spread it in the business world. We open Mediation and Arbitration Centers in our chambers. In this way, our business world will resolve its disputes, both faster and cheaper.”
The
opening of the Mediation and Arbitration Center in Gaziantep was held with the
participation of TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Gaziantep Governor Davut
Gül, Gaziantep Metropolitan Mayor Fatma Şahin and Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce
President M. Tuncay Yıldırım.
TOBB
President Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that Gaziantep is the star of Southeast
Anatolia in his speech, “Gaziantep's contributions to the Turkish economy are
admirable. As the head of the Turkish business world, I am proud of the success
of Gaziantep and our entrepreneurs who are the stars of Gaziantep. I am proud
of all our Chambers and Stock Exchanges in Gaziantep, which serves our star entrepreneurs
in the best way. I heartily congratulate
our Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce for its successful work, exemplary projects
and awards.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
pointing out that the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, with its Syria Desk project
for Syrian members, has received been awarded among the Chambers of the world
in the ICC, its name heard throughout the world, “Also recently, it is the 3rd
recipient of the ‘Competency in Excellence 5 Star Certificate’ EFQM award. Our chamber,
more importantly, was the first Chamber of Commerce to receive this award. I
would like to congratulate our Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, which has been in
service for 120 years with its exemplary projects such as GETHAM, GTO Syria
Desk, GTO Academy and Professional Qualification Center. Mr. Tuncay Yıldırım and
I work together on the TOBB High Coordination Board and the Council of Chambers
of Commerce and benefit from their experience. I would like to thank our
President M. Tuncay Yıldırım, Council Speaker Hilmi Teymur, council members,
secretary general and all my colleagues for their selfless work.”
- Important reforms in the
judiciary were enacted
Stating
that as the business community, one of the issues they always complain about,
due to the excessive file burden, is the slow functioning judicial system, Hisarcıklıoğlu
said the average case spends 2 years at first degree courts, then another 2
years in second degree courts. Noting that Justice Minister Gül has enacted
important structural reforms, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “He has
enabled alternative solutions to be put into action. He started the mediation
system in our country. In fact, we as a nation are no strangers to this issue.
Centuries ago, our ancestor made use of Akhism, which constitutes the basis of
our Chamber-Commodity Exchange Community, to resolve commercial disputes. Then
we forgot about it, and Europe took it from us and improved it. Thanks to
Minister Abdülhamit Gül for addressing this. First in business-employer
disputes, then in commercial cases, mediation was made mandatory.”
- Use of mediation system is
increasing
Noting
that the use of the mediation system is increasing day by day, Hisarcıklıoğlu
said that the number of files processed in 6 years has reached 1 million. Hisarcıklıoğlu
explained that the number of applications for working life issues, which are
important for our business world, exceeded 800,000, and 70% of them resulted in
an agreement. “The trials, which used to last for years, ended in days and
weeks," Hisarcıklıoğlu said, adding that access to justice has
accelerated.
“This
is also a win-win method. Because people have been spared a waste of time and a
financially damaging, long process, and our judicial system has also been
spared a significant workload. Thus, the grievances decreased, the sense of
justice was strengthened. Therefore, mediation contributed to social peace. All
these good results in practice show that the reform is a correct and
appropriate step.
The
legal system is a pillar not only of the state, but also of the economy. If the
law is strong, people's confidence in each other, institutions and the system
increases. If sense of justice and trust is strong in a country, then that
country's economy will be strong. In fact, the place of law in our culture and
in our faith is already very important. We are a nation that believes that
justice is at the heart of property. There's also a saying I like very much: Justice
is like the polar star, it is constant; everything else revolves around it.
That's why we must maintain the balance of the scales of justice.
We
must take every step necessary to make it work effectively, quickly and
healthily. The more successful we are in making our legal system healthier and
better functioning, the stronger our country and economy will be.”