Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu, who made a speech at the ceremony hosted by İnegol Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Yavuz Uğurdağ, started his speech by congratulating İnegöl CCI and its members who completed their elections. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “In some of our professional committees, 2-3 lists competed. This is a good example of our community and democracy. Now that the election is over, it is time to join hands and work for İnegöl as one heart.”

Emphasizing the importance of the compliance and mediation system, Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “Due to the excessive file load, the slow functioning of the judicial system has always been the subject of complaints. The average case lasts 2 years in court of first instance. Then it continues in the court of the second instance for another 2 years. At this point, alternative solutions must come into play. In fact, we, as a nation, are no strangers to this issue. Centuries ago, our ancestors started to practice it. In the Akhi tradition, which forms the basis of our Chamber-Commodity Exchange Community, commercial disputes were resolved by the Akhi. It says in our culture, facilitate; don’t exacerbate. Then we forgot about it, Europe took it from us and developed it. After TOBB and our Chambers embraced this work, mediation was made mandatory first in employer-employee disputes, then in commercial cases and finally in consumer disputes. The use of this system has increased day by day. The number of files received here has exceeded 3 million. 70% of them ended in a deal. Trials that used to take years were over in days or weeks. So access to justice has accelerated.”

- Win-win method

Stating that this system is also a win-win method, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “People were saved from the waste of time and the long process that exhausted them financially; the judicial system was freed from a significant workload. Thus, grievances decreased and the sense of justice was strengthened. Disputes are resolved to the satisfaction of all, and the parties leave happy.” The TOBB President, who stated that they made great efforts to make themselves known in the business world as the Chamber-Commodity Exchange community, said that they encouraged the Chambers to establish such centers. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Within TOBB, we have also launched the UYUM Mediation and Dispute Resolution Center. Currently, these centers have been implemented in our 85 Chamber-Exchanges. More than 500 mediators have also begun to serve. When such an infrastructure was provided, these centers increasingly directed our business world to Mediation. Knowledge about this issue has increased in society and people have started to see the benefits of it. For example, look, an inheritance case involving 28 different people in Seydişehir, which has been going on for 2 years, was resolved in 4 hours in mediation. In fact, time is the most important capital in commercial life. Every regulation that will facilitate our trade, strengthen our economy and judicial system, and contribute to our social peace is important and valuable to us. Within the body of İnegöl CCI, the Arbitration and Mediation Center is starting to operate. For these visions, I congratulate the entire management, assembly and employees, especially our İnegol CCI President Yavuz. İnegöl CCI is an Accredited Chamber in terms of service quality. In the previous audit period, you ranked first among all CCIs with the highest audit score, I congratulate you.”

Yavuz Uğurdağ, President of İnegöl Chamber of Commerce and Industry, reminded the discomfort of the business world due to the length of the litigation processes and stated that the mediation system can solve the problems to a significant extent.

In addition to Hisarcıklıoğlu and Uğurdağ, Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Alinur Aktaş and Deputy Atty. Vildan Yılmaz Gürel also made speeches at the opening.