Türkiye Odalar ve Borsalar Birliği

Hisarcıklıoğlu, in regards to soldiers martyred in Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, prayed for the grace of Allah upon the fallen. Hisarcıklıoğlu, stating that Yenişehir is the place where the Ottoman Empire converted from the emirate to the state, said, “The founding of the Ottoman Empire was declared here, and the first sermon was read. Osman Gazi mindted the first Ottoman coin here. The first edict was declared here; the regular army gathered here. Today, Yenişehir is also home to many important industrial facilities with its rapidly expanding economy as well as fertile lands suitable for agriculture. Airport, high speed train, proximity to Gemlik Harbor are great advantages for Yenişehir. The İstanbul-İzmir Motorway project is also very important for this. Yenişehir is Bursa’s gate to Anatolia and Europe.” Describing the characteristics of the Yenişehir economy, Hisarcıklıoğlu emphasized that two thirds of the land is suitable for agriculture. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “For all these reasons, it is also a new avenue for investors, suitable for both agricultural, residential and industrial investments. Land and housing prices are rising. The Automotive Testing Center is also set up here. This is very important, because it is not enough to design and produce. You need to test it and confirm it. Therefore, in the domestic car project, the Automotive Testing Center will be needed. Yenişehir is rapidly moving towards becoming one of the most important centers of attractions of Bursa.”

- Yenişehir CCI working for its members

Hisarcıklıoğlu said that Yenişehir CCI has undertaken very important projects for the city, “By making a cooperation protocol with KOSGEB, service was brought to its members and free trainings were organized. Yenişehir CCI has been incorporated the into the European Business Network Project. Development of entrepreneurial culture in Yenişehir has been bolstered with the courses organized by the CCI. We are also making 2 major innovations in all the Chambers together with Yenisehir CCI. You can now get documents you need from your home, your office, without having to come to chamber. We have passed the Digital Transformation. Chambers are now online. The second one is a one-stop-office project for company establishments. All setup operations will take place in our Chambers. We reduced the number of transactions from 7 to 1. We reduced the cost from 2,250TRY in advance to 650TRY. That is how service is brought to members. Our Chambers make such investments for the future of the city. Our chamber is working for the development and enrichment of Yenişehir. I have seen this both in Ankara and here. From the Chairman, to Management, from the Council to the Secretary General, from the Academic Advisor to all of your employees, I thank you all. The chambers listen carefully to the community, pinpoint problems and together, seek solutions.”

- What was accomplished last year?

Hisarcıklıoğlu, in regards to what TOBB and the chambers community has been doing in the for the past year, underlined that they are doing very important things in financing. Stressing that that they provided 8 billion TRY to 290,000 companies with 9.9% interest under the Respite Credits, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that KOSGEB also provided loans to 290,000 companies with a 0-interest, 3-year maturity and that as Credit Guarantee Fund, they are guarantors for 364,000 companies for 221 billion TRY. TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that a total of 681,000 companies were reached in Turkey, with 234bn TRY provided in finances.

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that the cost employment is the most important complaint of the business world, and thanks to the mobilization of employment initiated to this end, the Turkish private sector has provided 1.5 million additional jobs. The TOBB President also said that Bursa kept its word and provided additional 1.3 employment people per company. Hisarcıklıoğlu underlined the importance of incentives provided as a part of the employment mobilization. “The monthly minimum wage support of 100 TL will continue in 2018. When you hire someone, new premium and tax is covered by the state. You will only pay salary. So 1,600 TL is from you, 800 TL is tax + premium. Incentives will be in full force for 3 years. In the meantime, remember to request your retroactive incentives.”

As a part of the Industry-First Reform Package, the 2% TRT tax, OIZ property tax and stamp tax have been, amount to a total of 1 billion TRY in costs saved for the business community. Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish business community has undertaken the task of producing the.

Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “At our 73^rd General Assembly, the President of the Republic of Turkey call upon us, to find the brave entrepreneurs among TOBB to build the domestic car. We said ‘If you stand with us, we will do it.’ We’ve been working busily with the Minister of Industry to be ready to reveal the 5 braves. We announced them together with our President. Now the provinces are competing to have the factory set up there. This will be decided according to feasibility results. I hope the first prototype will emerge in 2019. In 2021, commercial sales will also begin.”

- “What we’ve done since the beginning of 2018”

TOBB President explaining that they are doing extensive studies in the Coordination Council for Improvement of Investment Environment with the Ministers in regards to the issues reported by the business community, “We are among the world's 20 largest economies, but we rank 60^th in ease of business index. Why don’t people want to be entrepreneurs? There are many obstacles to doing business. We met with our government. You will see, in 2 years Turkey will be among the top 20 countries in ease of business index. The law which was passed yesterday was revolutionary for us. There 59 countries with easier company establishment, execution, bankruptcy, construction permits, title deeds, municipal applications, tax payments than us. Hopefully this will be the law to bring Turkey into the top 20. We will no longer have to wait on the government regarding VAT returns. 140 billion TRY will be paid to us in a certain schedule. We will be able request what we are owed from the government within 3 months from the day of the announcement the legislation. If not, the government will pay interest. This is a good deal for us. But first of all applaud our MPs. We will put our country among the top 10 economies.

Are there no problems at all? Of course there are. But we have the will and the power to overcome all of them. Look, we've made a lot of improvements by acting in unity and solidarity. Problems are not solved by fighting. It is solved by dialogue and common cause. Grace and prosperity in unity; anguish in dissent. I am deeply convinced that you will have an election process worthy of my community in April. The election will end and the winner as well as their competition will work together shoulder to shoulder again; Yenişehir should work together.”

- School promise

TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu responded positively to the school request of Yenişehir, stating that they want to build schools in all counties once the 81 schools in 81 provinces project is completed.