Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

The public announcement by TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu goes on;

“It is with great sadness and shock that I see my name in the article headlined “Behind the Curtains of the 367 Crisis” in today’s Zaman gazette.

In the article it is asserted that, I would be supporting the merging of ANAP and DYP in 2007 under the leadership of Erkan Mumcu. In the same article, it is asserted that I am inimical to AK Party.

I would like to first and foremost emphasize that this is a most unseemly and baseless accusation. It is inconceivable that I would be a part of any attempt against democracy and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey; on the contrary, I would only oppose such an attempt.

Even though I have stated on many occasions that I find coup d’etats to be unconscionable assaults against justice and democracy and that I view taking part in these to be indecent, the exploitation of my name by third parties in this regard can only be viewed as insult upon my person.

In all my life, I have never been inimical to any political party. I say this clearly; I stand exactly where I have promised to every year at the TOBB General Assembly to my members and delegates, to the Turkish business world. True to this promise, today, I once again emphasize that I will stand at equal distance to all political parties as long as I hold the office of TOBB President.

As someone who always places emphasis on the importance of the quality of democracy, I denounce those who exploit my name in an attempt to enact their outrageous plans.

In closing I would like to remind everyone of the role played by TOBB in the realization of the nation’s will and the abolishment of the obstructions in the way of democracy during the election of our esteemed President of the Republic Abdullah Gül, witnessed by the public.”
​