Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Turkish companies operating in Kosovo are providing employment to about 10,000 people. In terms of foreign direct investment in Kosovo, Turkey is third highest investing country following Germany and Switzerland with a total volume of 341 million Euros. The total value of projects undertaken by Turkish contractors in Kosovo has reached 1.4 billion Euros.”

TOBB ETU Chairman of the Board of Trustees M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Kosovo and Turkey are two sister countries that share their love and sorrow. Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Turkey acknowledges and supports Kosovo's independence thanked President Thaçi for declaring his support for the elected government and democracy against the coup plot the very next day after the July 15^th coup attempt.

Stating that TOBB University of Economics and Technology is a young university of 13 years, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “It has been one of the most preferred universities in Turkey since its first years. Our university has a closed area of ​​162 thousand square meters consisting of a campus consisting of 23 departments and 7 research and application centers, sports center, social facilities, student guesthouses, laboratories and technology center, 5 thousand 100 students, a large academic staff of 464 people. The joint training program, a first in Turkey, has become a model for industrial university cooperation in our country. Our academic staff consists of highly distinguished and qualified names, both from home and abroad. As an indicator, we are in the top 5 of all private universities for scientific success. As TOBB ETU, which has achieved such great success, we are honored to receive the President of our sister country Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, and to present him with an honorary doctorate.”

Stating that Kosovo has made significant developments in transition to a market economy and in keeping macroeconomic stability, Hisarcıklıoğlu continued:

“Turkish companies operating in Kosovo are providing employment to about 10,000 people. In terms of foreign direct investment in Kosovo, Turkey is third highest investing country following Germany and Switzerland with a total volume of 341 million Euros. The total value of projects undertaken by Turkish contractors in Kosovo has reached 1.4 billion Euros. Kosovo boasts many successful Turkish investments in many areas such as banking, health, food, as well as important projects such as airport construction and operation, highway construction and electricity distribution. We are proud to have contributed to the development of Kosovo and we are working to move it further.”

- Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi

Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi touching on the matter of terrorist attacks and said that the organizations which attack Turkey are also considered terrorists by Kosovo. Stating that, “Kosovo's independence was the best solution,” Thaçi touched on the consensus reached in regards to Kosovo's independence.

Drawing attention to independent institutions in Kosovo, the guest President Thaçi said, “Directives of the independent institutions are being put into effect in Kosovo. Stating that the belief of people in justice and democracy are rising, Thaçi spoke about Kosovo's relations with neighboring countries.”