Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Giving the opening speech at the Honorable Service Certificate and Plaque Ceremony, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said that Turkey will be the shining star of the future.

- Acknowledgment for Cemil Çiçek and Hayati Yazıcı

Hisarcıklıoğlu, calling to mind the saying ‘ability is subject to compliments’ thanked the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Cemil Çiçek and the Minister of Customs and Commerce Hayati Yazıcı. TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they have been working with Speaker Çiçek throughout the year; in the east, west, south and south of the country for the Constitution Meetings and said, “We have kept a busy schedule in order to include the ideas of the workers, employers, public servants, farmers, of the everyman in the process of the creation of the new constitution. Our hearts beat in unison for a stronger, richer and more democratic Turkey. The Speaker of the Grand National Assembly; you have always been on the side of the private sector, listened to our problems and have been the solution to our woes. I thank you and present my gratitude.”

Stating that they have also been taking part in very important works with the Minister Hayati Yazıcı throughout the year, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “He is a friend of the private sector and, in my opinion, a real ‘solution Minister’. Together, we told Turkey about the new trade law. We have listened to the complaints and requests of the business world. Thankfully, they have brought us the news we’ve been waiting for this week. The revolutionary Turkish Trade Law revision work has begun wherein the finishing touches will be made to the law.” Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the protocol for the modernization of 4 more customs gates has been signed.

- TOBB’s 60th year

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that TOBB is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and said, “How joyous that, today, TOBB leads is not led; is active, not passive; is dynamic, not static; and most important of all, is an institution that serves, not one that rules.”

Stating that they have achieved this success together, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:

“We have among us here businessmen who have worked for this community, who have labored for the private sector, for the development of our economy as delegates for 10, 20, 30 and 50 years!

You have worked hard as delegates of the Union of Chamber and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey for years, labored, won and brought prosperity. No plaque can document the value of your services! What joy, that you are rewarded for your labor by providing employment and sustenance to many people. I congratulate everyone who has had the honor of working for our community from the bottom of my heart and wish them many more successful years.”

- The success of Turkey’s economy

Reporting that Turkey’s economy has, especially with the contributions of entrepreneurs, accomplished an extraordinary leap forward, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Just 30 years ago, there was only agricultural production in Turkey. Almost all of the 3 billion Dollars’ worth of goods we managed to market internationally was agricultural goods. Today, Turkey has become the industrial giant of its region. We are the strongest industry between Italy and China!

We export over 20,000 goods to over 200 countries. Our exports have exceeded 135 billion Dollars. 94% of this is industrial goods and we market 60% of it to the most developed countries in the world! The late Özal opened the way for us; we dreamed, we set ourselves a goal, we worked hard and today, we have made our country the world’s 18th biggest economy.”

- “Open the way for us, we’ll take care of the rest”

Emphasizing that their dreams aren’t done yet, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “With the environment of stability achieved during the last 10 years, we are braver and have a much higher self-confidence! We say this: We will be among the 10 largest economies of the world! I heartily believe that this is an achievable goal. Because I’ve been all over Anatolia and see the energy there; the entrepreneurial spirit! We may not have petroleum underground but we do have great laborious entrepreneurs on it. Open the way for entrepreneurs, we’ll take care of the rest.”

Speaking of Nejat Ekrem Basmacı who has fulfilled 53 years in the TOBB community, TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We have elders here with us whose age and experience greatly exceeds ours, TOBB Presidents. Our elder brother Nejat has fulfilled 53 years under this roof. I wish him many more successful years. Before you, I present my heartfelt gratitude to our friends and brothers on behalf of our country. They are the true architects of the success I’ve been talking about. They were trading and producing before there was even talk about trade or production in this country. They had dedicated themselves to this at a time when traders had no esteem. They suffered the hardships of this business. They’ve been through crises, suffered problems but they never gave up! They taught us the benevolence of winning and helping others to do so; of providing employment and food to people; they’ve guided us, they’ve been our role models! This is how our story of success was written.”

-The goal is to be among the first 10 economies of the world

Stating that they’ve set themselves the goal of being among the 10 largest economies of the world by 2023, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We will exceed 500 billion Dollars in exports and 2 trillion Dollars in national income, and we will achieve this thanks to the investments of the Turkish private sector; we will achieve this thanks to the enterprises of the entrepreneurs in this hall and those who follow in their follow in their footsteps.”

- Hisarcıklıoğlu’s 20th year

Saying that he himself has fulfilled his 20th year in the TOBB community, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “I once again congratulate my friends and brothers who will receive their awards and plaques here today. I, too, am proud to have served as a delegate in this community for 20 years. I will continue to serve this community as long as Allah sees fit that I live. Turkey is exalted by this community and this community is exalted by Turkey!”

- TBMM Speaker Cemil Çiçek

In his speech, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey (TBMM) Cemil Çiçek said, “A new constitution has become a necessity. A country playing in the premier league cannot rule itself with the rules of the second league.”

TBMM Speaker Çiçek stated that Turkey has undergone much pain in its struggle for independence but that during the last century they have gained the Republic and democracy as a result in the last century.
Stating that Turkey, which gained independence in a struggle wrought with many hardships, now exports over 20,000 goods to almost 200 countries in every region of the world from the North Pole to the South Pole, Çiçek said that those working under TOBB’s umbrella have contributed greatly to Turkey reaching where it stands today.

TBMM Speaker Çiçek said that Turkey does not deserve the ‘least developed’ and ‘developing country’ labels and that it is a developed country, a member of the G20 and emphasized that today, Turkey is a worldly state with its entrepreneurs and valuable people in all fields whereas its value as a country was more to do with its strategic position.

Stating that Turkey wasted away the 90’s with coalition governments, instability and political struggles, TBMM Speaker Çiçek said that Turkey no longer has any patience or room to miss opportunities and that those who would set off on this journey would be accountable in the eyes of history.

TBMM Speaker Çiçek emphasized that the day when everything is expected solely of the government is past and that the responsibility of taking advantage of opportunities which present themselves lies on the shoulders of the private enterprise and went on:

“If we take are able to take advantage of the opportunities which we encounter, there is no reason we should not be playing for the top instead of just a decent spot among developed countries. We must achieve this. Today’s democracy has surpassed being a representative democracy. The type of democracy practiced in developed countries is that of participatory democracy. Participating in decisions is to participate in the solution of problems. Professional organizations have a duty in this. We have begun the process of forming a new constitution to propel our democracy forward. We have started forming clauses. Professional organizations and TOBB has taken an active role in this as well. A second job falls to the members of TOBB; this is the process of observation. Observe those writing the constitution well because they are indebted to you. Observe the 4 political parties writing the constitution. A new constitution has become a necessity. A country playing in the premier league cannot rule itself with the rules of the second league.”

- Customs and Commerce Minister Yazıcı

Customs and Commerce Minister Hayati Yazıcı stated that TOBB members are the representatives of Ahi Evran Veli, founder of the Ahi Organization of 12th century Anatolia and that this brings with it great honor and responsibility.

Stating that TOBB, one of Turkey’s most important professional and civil initiatives, participates in many important activities and enterprises ranging from the constitution reform project to the lobby activities against the alleged Armenian genocide bill in France; from the organization of the Turkish World Council to its work in the new Turkish Trade Law, Minister Yazıcı spoke:

“Many responsibilities and duties, maybe even more so than those which falls on the shoulders of the government fall to the entrepreneurs and local actors in, perhaps the first social prosperity project in our country, the 2023 goals. We have approached the matter of the new Turkish Trade Law with a participatory mentality instead of a strict one from the very start. We listened to everyone. No laws, including the Turkish Trade Law, are sacred writ. Our main goal are to aid you and our valued entrepreneurs in reaching our country’s 2023 goals. As the Ministry of Customs and Commerce, we are working to make our country where trade is done the fastest, safest and easiest in the world. We undertake to implement customs and commerce policy in this manner and rapidly start new practices.”

Stating that the drops recorded in inflation and interest rates is the result of the environment of stability and trust, Yazıcı said, “Turkey is the 7th country in the world in textile supply - 3rd among EU countries – 17th in the automobile production, among the top 5 countries in the production of gold and jewelry. We are Europe’s 3rd largest in terms of iron and steel production. Looking at these figures, it is quite evident that we have a significant industrial and product potential.”

- Delegates awarded with Honorable Service Certificates and Plaques

10th year
Feridun Torunoğlu (Anamur TSO)
Abdullah Bilaçlı (Bursa TSO)
Ali Yılmaz (Bursa TSO)
Sadık Gülerer (İnegöl TSO)
Recep Ekinci (İskenderun TSO)
Köksal Şerbetçioğlu (Kırıkkale TSO)
M. Ekrem Toker (Aliağa TO)
Ali İhsan Tutan (Bodrum TO)
Ali Alak (İzmir TO)
Cüneyt Altınkapı (İzmir TO)
Ali Çetin Taşkent (İMEAK DTO)
Fahri Coşkun (Alaca TB)
Ceylan Emet (Bolvadin TB)
Ümit Çetin (Gönen TB)
Ekrem Baştuğ (Karaman TB)

20th year
M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu (Ankara TO)
Faik Yavuz (Ankara TB)
Bülent Koşmaz (Manisa TSO)
Halim Mete (İMEAK DTO)
Hakkı Aynur (Bilecik TSO)
Davut Tezcan (Bitlis TSO)
İbrahim Yamak (Giresun TSO)
Mahmut Dündar (Kızıltepe TSO)l
Mehmet Akbacakoğlu (Ankara TO)
Mehmet Aslan (Gaziantep TO)
Çetin Kaya Kalkavan (İMEAK DTO)
Necdet Aksoy (İMEAK DTO)
Ali Kahraman Yavuz (Mersin DTO)
Mustafa Cihat Lokmanoğlu (Mersin DTO)
Ali Şener Bayraktar (Akyazı TB)
İbrahim Öztürk (Ankara TB)
Faruk Kula (Balıkesir TB)
Ferhan Şensoy (Balıkesir TB)
İbrahim Aytekin (Balıkesir TB)
Hüsnü Ünal (Çankırı TB)
İbrahim Tefenlili (Denizli TB)
Abdülkadir Çıkmaz (Gaziantep TB)
Atilla Sümer (İstanbul TB)
Züber Gültekin (İstanbul TB)
Halit Kaya (İzmir TB)
Hüseyin Ekiz (İzmir TB)
Reha Sümer (İzmir TB)
İsmet Çelik (Kars TB)
Mustafa Sarıçiçekli (Mersin TB)
Ziya Aksüt (Nazilli TB)

53rd year
Nejat Ekrem Basmacı
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