Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hisarcıklıoğlu began his speech at the “Turkey's Automotive Project Joint Venture Group Cooperation Protocol Signature Ceremony” at the Presidential Complex with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, by praying for the soldiers martyred in the terrorist attack in Hakkari.

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they’ve set out to actualize a grand dream today, pointing out that that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on them to produce Turkey's automobile.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We’ve made the sacrifice; we have hosted close to 100 meetings for nearly five months and have planned this process. I always say the stronger the entrepreneur of a country is, the stronger the country is. Today, as an entrepreneur of our country, we sell goods to 200 countries. We produce one of every three home appliances purchased in Europe. From the mass residences in -40 degrees Celsius of Siberia to the refinery in the sweltering heat of 40 degrees Celsius of Morocco. We are building the world's largest airport in İstanbul. We are operating airports in Bombay and Hungary We are building an airport in Qatar, Tunisia, Macedonia. We are making billion-dollar purchases. We are selling the goods of our country in the four corners of the world while Turkish professionals, global companies are managing international organizations. There is almost a relay race between Turkish global managers.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that now it is time for Turkey to develop technology to compete with global giants and said, “Here, the initiative of our government is very important for the expansion of this product set. It is a matter of grand vision and a new model of economic development. The global automotive sector is undergoing a very serious transformation. Centennial automotive giants are competing against each other in order to attain new generation of automobile technologies. A new company like TESLA is able to compete with these giants. This is why it is the time for Turkey's automobile and if Turkey is to take its place in this sector with its own design and own technologies, she must catch the process of transformation, which I believe we will.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that the project will also be a model for Turkey's technological transformation and the technologies to be developed as a part of the project will trigger new product development in many sectors.

Hisarcıklıoğlu thanked President Erdoğan for his vision, and said, “If it were not for his insistent calls, we would not be here today to build Turkey's automobile. Leadership and vision are such things, and we really thank you for all the support you have given in this process. Whenever we visited you for the project in the last 5 months, you opened the way for us; you gave us support and morale. I hope we will succeed this project with your leadership and support.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu thanked Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım and Science, Industry and Technology Minister Faruk Özlü for their support and said, “The Prime Minister and Minister Özlü told us on the first day that it is not the job of the government to do this job but ours and that they would support the private sector comprehensively as the government. Even implementing new legislation specific to this project if necessary on the instructions of the President. This trust brought us here today and we stated that if we the government stands behind us we will succeed in this endeavor. We have listened to all the parties who have worked on this issue and we have worked diligently to eliminate question marks.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the companies have a total of 110,000 employees and that their last year's production was close to 65bn TRY.

Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that the signing of the joint venture group today was a start and added that “We will work very hard for 3-4 months, analyze alternative technologies and funding opportunities. We will design our government support for this project together with the ministry in accordance with the instructions of the President and in the first months of 2018 we will establish our company.”

- President Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressed his wishes that this meeting, which announces those who have made the sacrifice for Turkey’s automobile, will prove beneficial for the country, nation, sector and the venture group.

Erdoğan said, “The late Mohammad Ali said a man without imagination has no wings.' We had a dream of a Turkish automobile with Turkish branding, Turkish design, Turkish engineering, Turkish technology, Turkish production, Turkish marketing which we have convened to promote the joint venture group for that goal. In fact this is the dream of our nation.”

President Erdoğan stated that there is no tolerance for time lost and said, “It falls to us to support those working in this venture group. I am declaring in advance that I will purchase the first car produced.”

- Prime Minister Yıldırım

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım reminded that they have come together for an important project and that the process formally initiated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's and it is now time for the domestic brand car utilizing Turkey’s potential and strength in the best possible way.

Thanking President Erdoğan, the Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Faruk Özlü and everyone who has contributed to the process, Yıldırım also thanked the Union Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President. We implore Allah to bless this partnership coordinated by TOBB for our nationa and all parties involved.”

- Minister of Science, Industry and Technology

Faruk Özlü, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, stated that “All the innovations in the automotive industry of the domestic brand automobile will be qualified to respond to digitalization, transformation, software, demands and trends.

Özlü stated that, “These signatures set down today will bring us closer to the goal of becoming the world's 10 largest economies and one step closer to our 2023 vision.” He thanked the venture group signing the business alliance and to the Union Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) for their unending support in this endeavor.