Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, in his opening address, stated that business people being honored today would always be appreciated; that, through their efforts and hard work, Chambers and Commodity Exchanges have become the primary service centers of the real sector. “Institutional services capacities have grown and have transformed into a structure that the world has taken as an example. We have actualized the Digital Chamber-Commodity Exchange revolution; we have become a one-stop-shop. As our chambers and exchanges developed, they’ve provided the private sector with better quality services. They helped our companies grow and open up to international markets. Thus, our country received more investment, increased production, exports and employments. We succeeded in all of this through unity of hearts, minds and purpose. May Allah grant that the successes of everyone working for this country be plentiful.”

- Thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Stating that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with his background in business life, knows the difficulties of production and trade, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “From the day you came to office, you always stood by this community. In our General Assemblies and the Economic Summits, over the course of time, you have listened to our problems. You have participated in many activities and showed your support for the Turkish business community. Under your leadership, many regulations which facilitate business life and reduce the burden on us have been put into effect. We have realized the employment mobilization, a historical success, under your leadership. With your support, we provided 1.5 million additional jobs. Again, under your leadership, we will continue the employment mobilization in 2018. In addition to employment, the chamber and exchange community showed their difference in financing. We have given you the first and most concrete contribution to the reduction of interest rates. TOBB, Chambers and Commodity Exchanges have brought together all their resources. With the lowest interest rate applied to commercial loans until today, our SMEs found respite with a 0.99 monthly rate. We made an innovation in financing as you put it.” TOBB members in the hall gave President Erdoğan a standing ovation.

- Our understanding is not one to be satisfied with what we have

Reporting that TOBB Respite Credits will continue with the support of Prime Minister Yıldırım in 2018 as in 2017, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Again with your vision, we have started the domestic car project which we’ve waited years for. During our last General Assembly, you entrusted unto us this duty. We started to take concrete steps in this matter with Faruk Özlü, our esteemed Minister of Industry. Praise Allah that this community has fulfilled all the duties it has received, and will continue to do so. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to you for your trust and support, on behalf of our community and myself. We have never been of the understanding of making it through the day. We are always working for more production, investment, employment and export. We strive to reach new and much bigger goals in each area. As today's representatives of ancient Akhi organization, we are working to be worthy of this blessed heritage of our forefathers. We know that complaining, just demanding is not enough for us.

We are preparing solution proposals, consulting with you and your cabinet. From the G-20 to the International Chamber of Commerce; from the European Union of Chambers, to the Islamic Chamber and even to the Asia-Pacific Chamber, we have entered into the management of all global platforms. We are the voice of the Turkish business community, defending our rights on these myriad platforms. Members of this community provide more employment each year, despite the hardships they experience. Giving our nation more hope. Investments, production, employment, exports are generated by the people you see in this hall and those that they represent.

I am proud of my friends and associates, our entrepreneurs, our assembly representatives, Chambers and Commodity Exchanges Chairpersons, our council chairs and general secretaries who filled this hall. I congratulate you once again. You deserve every compliment lavished on you. You, who fly our Crescent-and-Star flag around the world, are the pride of Turkey! May the grace of Allah be upon you all!”

- We will close ranks

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that global risks are in a period of re-emergence, both economically and geographically, he pointed out that various actors also want to bring our country down by using terrorist organizations. TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu called for closing ranks in the face of all this.

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that confidence and stability lies at the foundation of all the gains Turkey has achieved in recent years and said, “As TOBB community, we know very well their value. Because we have not forgotten what troubles we experienced especially in the 90s when confidence and stability were nowhere to be found. We, the Turkish private sector, will continue to produce and work to make our country stronger, richer, more prosperous tomorrow, as we did yesterday. Until today; just as in YOİKK, Employment Mobilization, Respite Credits and the domestic automobile, we have accomplished every mission given to us by our government and we will continue to work on behalf of the Turkish private sector. I congratulate all my precious friends and end my words with this: I am honored to be presenting these rewards, which they deserve so much. From my presidents to my general secretaries, I heartily congratulate all of my colleagues who serve this community and wish them a successful year. We are here to serve this country. We are the in love with this country. We have a lot of work to do. We will not stop here. We will work harder. And, hopefully, we will put our country among the top 10 economies in the world. We will continue to strive to bring Turkey to the place it deserves in the world to match its place in history. May our path be clear. May Allah stand by us and aid us.”

- President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, “I am very pleased to be here today with the Akhis of our entrepreneurship spirit, our culture; our chamber and commodity exchange community.” Erdoğan expressed his well wishes for TOBB’s 74^th General Assembly to be held on May 14-15.

Erdoğan congratulated the members of TOBB who will be presented with the service commendation certificates for their 10th, 20th and 30th anniversaries at TOBB. “I believe that the strong messages that our business community will provide through this meeting will be the best answer to those who are trying to create negative perceptions about our economy.”

- “I see this as my own roof, my own organization, my own house”

Erdoğan, who has always strived to participate in TOBB's General Assemblies and important meetings, said, “I put great importance to what you say to us and the issues we discuss with you. As someone who has traded, ran companies, won and lost in the past, as one of you, I believe that I can best understand the feeling in this place.

So I see this as my own roof, my own organization, my own house. I know that we have friends from different ideas, circles, origins, beliefs. These differences are not our weakness but our power. I consider every one of you living in the same house as my brothers and sisters. Your joy is our joy; your troubles are our troubles. We will share our joys together and solve our troubles together.”

- “Our country has always profited”

Erdoğan stated that TOBB continues to carry forward the role of locomotive in the economy.

President Erdogan stressed that they have identified the problems of the sector and have developed solutions together, stressing that they are looking for the problems of the regions and cities together.

Erdoğan said that they jointly formulated measures to improve the investment environment and that they formulated the formula for structuring the private sector debts. He noted that they jointly decided on the changes in tax legislation.

Erdoğan said that they made the decision for the Social Security Institution premium discounts and the formulas that will relieve the business world together and stated that they also prepared the law that gives advantage to the local producers in public procurements preference.

Erdoğan spoke to representatives of business circles in the region, saying, “You put your hand under the stone without hesitating in the call for employment mobilization and provided 1.5 million jobs but I say let’s continue. What would you lose if you open your doors? You would profit and break the game. We are obligated to disrupt the West's games.”

- “Work on the domestic automobile is going well”

Pointing out that TOBB has contributed to the resources channel into the market via the Credit Guarantee Fund, Erdoğan said, “When I made a call to the braves for the domestic automobile in the General Assembly held last year, the Union answered the call. In fact, there would have been some surprises today but unfortunately we have delayed them but will start to see the fruits of our labors very soon. We have not regretted any steps we took together. The only thing we have to do in order to continue to do what we have done in the past 16 years is to continue working together.

For every investment you make, for every challenge you have, I want you to know that we are there with you. Again, you know best what we have done to protect your rights and the law, not just in our country but all over the world. We have always been honored to walk the path with you towards a stronger, more prosperous Turkey. We are ready to continue in the same way after this. I hope to see your decision on June 24^th.”

President Erdogan congratulated TOBB members to receive Service Commendation Certificates and completed his speech.

- Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım also touched on the economic developments of the last two years and said that while the big crisis scenarios were being produced, the economy was revived with the decisions they made.

Noting that the Credit Guarantee Fund (KGF) provided support for credit expansion and production immediately, Yıldırım emphasized that it had closed the year with a record growth rate of 7.4%.

Emphasizing that this growth rate is number one in the world and the G20, Yıldırım said that crisis scenarios were being produced in 2018 and that attempts to deceive perception of Turkey were without end.

- “Turkey continues to grow, produce and increase prosperity”

Reporting that even the employment generated by the EU countries in 10 years lags behind Turkey’s, Yıldırım said, “Turkey continues to grow, produce and increase prosperity.”

Yıldırım stated that the minimum wage support given to the employers last year is still going on this year and that they have made important steps to improve the investment environment and that they are formulating additional regulations.

Yıldırım stated that they have taken important steps to encourage exports and that exports continue to increase. He expressed that they have signed a very comprehensive amnesties with every part of the society.

Yıldırım pointed out that they have complete work on many amnesties including property, stock and fines.

Yıldırım stated that thy took measures to overcome the recession that lived in a certain segment of the housing sector and said, “We launched a campaign, we had discounts on VAT, discounted title deeds, and came together in the banks with for the monthly interest rate of 0.98.”

- Customs and Commerce Minister Bülent Tüfenkci

Customs and Commerce Minister Bulent Tüfenkci in his speech, stated that stability and confidence are necessary to compete on a global scale, “The business community knows very well who can elevate Turkey through virtue, will and courage. Continue on the right path together for a stronger Turkey.”

Tüfenkçi stated that the presidential system, the most important structural reforms agreed to on April 16^th, 2017 by the nation will enter into effect with the June 24^th elections.

Following the speeches, members received their service commendations for their 10^th, 20^th and 30^th years of working at TOBB.