Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu attended the Business World Directors Award Ceremony held in Yalova. Also attending the ceremony were Yalova Governor Esengül Civelek, TOBB Board Vice President Halim Mete, TOBB Board Member Arif Parmaksız, Yalova Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Celal özel as well as many chamber and exchange presidents.

In his speech, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the UMEM Ability’10 Project which provides vocational training to the unemployed as well as providing an 18% tax reduction for employers in search of qualified personnel. Reporting that Ford has taken advantage of the project to employ a thousand personnel; Toyota has likewise employed 800 personnel, Hisarcıklıoğlu asked that all companies wanting to lower their burdens for employment make use of this opportunity.

- “We must take affirmative action as the Turkish private sector”

Stating that Turkey will continue to decrease its unemployment as long as the idea of supporting investors remains prominent, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Today, we must protect and nurture our private sectors just like FIFA and the UEFA protects their star players. We must take affirmative action in regards to the Turkish private sector. If Turkey is developing and prospering, the private sector’s contribution to this is great. If our children are to find employment tomorrow, it will be thanks to the private sector.”

- Good news of a school for Yalova

Expressing his disquiet in regards to the arson of the school built by TOBB in Van, Hisarcıklıoğlu condemned those who would deprive children of a chance at education. Hisarcıklıoğlu also condemned those who attempt to justify these attacks.

Stating that investment in education is investment in the future, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Every investment has its risks. You could win or lose. There is but one investment which is guaranteed win and that is education.”

Acceding to the request for a girl’s vocational high school in Yalova, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu congratulated the Yalova Woman Entrepreneurs’ Council and the Yalova Governor Esengül Civelek for their work.

- Entrepreneurs will provide our children with employment

Stating that 750,000 people join the work force in need of employment each year, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The only way to provide employment to our youth is through entrepreneurs. For this reason, I ask that our woman entrepreneurs provide role models to our young girls and encourage them to entrepreneurship.”

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu, stating that Turkey’s greatest need is entrepreneurs, said that the most glaring gap before achieving the 2023 goals is in this field.

- Services of the chambers

Pointing out that there are questions of what services chambers actually provide, Hisarcıklıoğlu gave examples from the efforts to change the new Trade Law. Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that thanks to the changes enacted, the private sector has been unburdened of costs of 6 billion TL. Stating that 18 instances of prison sentences have been canceled, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “A fallen shop sign would have been a fine of 78,000 TL and 730 days incarceration in the event you couldn’t pay. If these had not been prevented, probably everyone who takes part in trading would have gone to jail at least once.”

- “You should compete with the Netherlands, not Antalya”

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, pointing out the success of Yalova in the field cut flowers, “Keep your goals big. Compete with the Netherlands, not Antalya.” The TOBB President urged that the way for the private sector be opened and said, “If these chains which hobble us are removed, we will be one of the ten largest economies. This still isn’t enough, being number one would be befitting of us.” Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out the need for changing the system and that the foundation of that is the constitution.

Also making speeches following TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu were the Yalova TSO President Celal Özel, Governor Esengül Civelek and Yalova Representative to the Parliament Temel Coşkun.