Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

In his speech, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that while there was little interest in the meetings last year, there is sizable attendance as a result of the legislation involving prison sentences and said, “You only came because you heard about prison sentences, or you obviously wouldn’t have come. The interest is overwhelming. This was what finally drew our attention, waking us up.”

Stating that the law is revolutionary and that they have supported it for the last 10 years, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “A 1950’s car can’t compete with a 2012 model. Turkey’s goal is to become one of the ten largest economies in the world. The Turkish private sector is succeeding greatly. We are one of the three fastest growing countries in the world. We are doing this despite being 65th on the competition index. This is why we’ve been saying that the trade life needs revolutionary regulations.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu said that reservations should be clearly stated, and that, as the Customs and Commerce Minister Hayati Yazıcı has said, “This law is man-made, prone to error.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu went on, “We have a chance to enact reasonable and sensible changes. If you have anything to say; if you see something lacking or error, say it. The constitution of the Turkish commercial life is changing completely. From the morning to the evening when business closes down, everything will change. We must study this lesson well.

The suit fits us but the arms are a bit off. When we say these things, they say, ‘TOBB is against the law.’ We were the ones who suffered throughout this process and you were there with us. What I want is that the arms fit just right. They complain that this is changing the spirit of the law. I will say it clearly in public. We want this law to pass. Did we remove the prison sentence from the checks legislation, so that there may be economic punishment for economic crime? This is what we mean.”

- Customs and Commerce Minister Hayati Yazıcı

Customs and Commerce Minister Hayati Yazıcı stated that the present TTK entered into effect in 1957 and that Turkey is trying to conduct trade with a 55 year old vehicle and that the new TTK which will enter into effect on July 1st 2012 has been in preparation for 11 years.

Stating that the new law will act as an express highway for Turkish trade, allowing traders to safely and rapidly conduct business, Yazıcı stated that the closer off the books economy gets to zero, the lighter the burden of taxes will become.

- TÜRMOB President Sanlı

Turkey Independent Accountant and Certified Public Accountants Association (TÜRMOB) President Nail Sanlı stated that world standard accounting will take place in Turkey, that the law will prevent off the records economy and ensure that foreign capital enters the country more easily.
Sanlı said, “We believe that these calls should be heeded as well. We believe in the principle that there should be economic punishment for economic crimes.”
Sanlı stated that they are of the opinion that the law should be put into effect without delay or postponing.
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