Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hisarcıklıoğlu held a press conference with the participation of TOBB Türkiye Cement and Cement Products Councils Fatih Yücelik, Chemical Industry Council President Timur Erk, Mining Councils President İbrahim Halil Kırşan, Soil Industry Products Councils President Kadir Başoğlu, Ceramics and Refractory Industry Councils Vice President and Turkish Ceramics Federation President Erdem Çenesiz, Climatization Council Member and Climatization Industry Exporters Association President Mehmet Şanal, Iron and Non-Ferrous Metals Councils Member Ayhan İleri,  Tayfun Küçükoğlu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Construction Material Industrialists' Association, and the TOBB Board of Directors members Zeki Kıvanç, Faik Yavuz and Ömer Zeydan.

At the meeting, which was also attended by other board members of TOBB via video conference, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the Kahramanmaraş-based earthquakes, which are described as the “disaster of the century”, affected 11 provinces and about 14 million people.

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that approximately 50,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake and 173,000 buildings were found to be ruined, to be demolished urgently and severely damaged, and said, “The number of homeless people or those in need of shelter reached 1.7 million people in total. I pray for the grace of Allah upon our citizens who lost their lives in the earthquake and hope for urgent healing to our wounded. I wish patience to the relatives of our people who lost their lives and to our citizens who were exposed to the earthquake. Our deepest condolences to our nation.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they are working to ensure that the earthquake victims can return to their normal lives and emphasized that they will raise the cities affected by the disaster together.

Pointing out that they have taken action for this purpose, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We came together with our 7 sector councils producing construction materials. Our chambers, commodity exchanges and sector councils have acted in a great mobilization since the first day. As the TOBB community, we have provided the shipment of 6 aircraft, 7 ships and 3,900 trucks of relief materials, 41 trucks of tents, 970 containers, 141 mobile kitchens, 551 construction machines and mobile cranes to the region.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they went to the region 3 times to be with the aggrieved citizens, that they saw the disaster on the spot, that they shared the pain of the citizens and that they would be in the region tomorrow evening.

- The price of construction materials of houses to be built in 11 provinces will not be increased

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that in this process, the public and private sector showed an example of solidarity that would be an example to the world and that they transferred all kinds of aid to the earthquake region, and said:

“Our miners, search-and-rescue teams, have been organizing and supporting the search and rescue efforts since the first day. I would like to thank the miners of our country who have made this sacrifice at the cost of their lives, and our companies and citizens who have helped to the fullest extent, our brothers and sisters working here. Our sectors are not satisfied with just this and decide to take another big step. They say that there should be a contribution from us to the earthquake housing construction project to be initiated by our government. In this context, they make a price fixing commitment for construction materials to be used in the houses to be built in the earthquake zone. As long as there is no increase in raw material and input costs, they are going to price fixing for the earthquake region. They agreed not to increase the price of construction materials foreseen to be used in the houses to be built in 11 provinces affected by the earthquake. I thank them.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that the sectors represented in the meeting have been providing aid and support to the earthquake region in coordination with public authorities since the first day of the earthquake, and that these sectors have also done their part so that earthquake housing can be built quickly and reliably as soon as possible.

Emphasizing that the sectors promised that they would not increase product prices in the 11 provinces affected by the earthquake unless there was an increase in input costs outside their control, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:

“Thankfully, our helpful business people, acting in solidarity with our great nation, do not abandon our citizens who are victims of the earthquake. I thank them. The day is, first of all, a day of being one, of being together, of bonding and embracing with the same feeling. The day is a day of unity. We will overcome these sorrowful days together. We will succeed hand in hand with the state and the nation. By Allah's will and grace, there is no problem that we cannot solve, no obstacle that we cannot overcome. Almost all of our country is dealing with fault lines and earthquakes. It is impossible for us to change or ignore this fact. It is imperative that we act first with the understanding of precaution and then with the understanding of trust. It is impossible for me to describe the deep pains and troubles I have personally witnessed in the region. However, I sincerely believe that we will leave behind this great disaster together as a single heart as a nation.”