Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hisarcıklıoğlu promised a school for Balıkesir on the request of the Balıkesir Chamber of Industry President Ahmet Kula and requested that the residents of Balıkesir also built an additional school. The promises herald two new schools for Balıkesir.

Balıkesir Industry Chamber Award Ceremony was attended by the TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Balıkesir Governor Ahmet Turhan, Balıkesir Chamber of Industry Board President Ahmet Kula, Balıkesir Chamber of Industry Council President Rona Yırcalı, Balıkesir Municipality Director İsmail Ok, representatives to the Grand National Assembly and many businessmen.

- The chambers have removed a burden of 6 billion TL from its members

In his speech Hisarcıklıoğlu provided information regarding the works of TOBB and chambers/commodity exchanges. Pointing out the changes to the Turkish Trade Law as examples to questions asking what exactly chambers do, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that if not for the chambers, the business world would have been burdened by an additional 6 billion TL yearly. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In order to remove this burden, 365 chambers and commodity exchanges worked hard. In addition, we prevented the 18 month prison sentence. We could say that if the changes had not been made, every industrialist and merchant would have been imprisoned once.”

Stating that work on the Debt Law is still underway, Hisarcıklıoğlu criticized the fact that banks require the business person’s spouse’s signature in order to give out credit and asked this be resolved.

Touching on the Checks Law, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they support the removal of prison sentences from this law only under one condition.  Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they wish to be able to view the financial records of their customers upon request just like banks do when giving out credit, “If the banks don’t sandbag us, the system will become active on the 2nd.”

- “We are world champions in seniority pay”

On the subject of the Retail Law, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the sector needs a reorganization to please everyone in it. Emphasizing that Turkey is a world champion in terms of seniority pay, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “After us on the list is Portugal. For instance, seniority pay doesn’t even exist in the USA.”

- The industrialists’ biggest pleasures are production, employment and export

Stating that the industrialists’ biggest pleasure is the number of people they provide employment to, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that what makes investors happy is the exports they make, the production and the taxes they pay. Stating that Turkey has come a long way in the last 30 years, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Turkey has come to sell cars to the countries which used to sell it cars.” Praising the work of Turkish workers, the TOBB President said, “We are as one with our workers. We break bread together at our place of work.

- Balıkesir Chamber of Industry Board President Ahmet Kula

Balıkesir Chamber of Industry Board President Ahmet Kula reported that they have decided to support PR work to increase olive oil production in the region similar to the campaign active throughout Turkey as spearheaded by TOBB. Stating that the geothermal potential of Balıkesir is continually increasing the healthcare tourism of the region, Kula reported that there are only a few unoccupied lots in the two OIZs in central Balıkesir.

- Balıkesir Chamber of Industry Council President Rona Yırcalı

Balıkesir Chamber of Industry Council President Rona Yırcalı stated that while developed countries, especially EU countries, struggle with financial crises, neighboring countries are being reshaped by peoples’ movements. Yırcalı said, “Turkey is continuing to grow and develop with the right policies and methods.”

Stating that difficult challenges await Turkey for it to accomplish its 2023 goals, Yırcalı said that these challenges can be overcome with the public and private sectors’ partnership and common sense.
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