Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

In his speech at the event, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated, “At a time when the world is marked by intense conflicts and trade wars, we in Türkiye are striving to produce, buy, and sell.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that the Bolu CCI, founded in 1926, is one of the republic’s most established professional organizations, adding that the establishment of the Bolu Chamber of Commerce and Industry itself was the most concrete indication of just how vibrant the economy was 100 years ago.

Emphasizing the importance of businesspeople acting in unity and solidarity, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Bolu is situated right between Ankara and İstanbul, on one of our country’s most strategic transportation corridors. With this location, it is a natural hub for trade, industry, tourism, and logistics. Bolu stands out not only for its natural beauty but also for its productive capacity.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu, who also provided information on Bolu’s production and industrial capacity, said, “For the first time in its history, Bolu has reached the $1 billion export threshold. Twelve of our companies in Bolu rank among Türkiye’s top 1,000 organizations. This success is the result of your efforts, you who produce here, invest here, create jobs, and sell goods to the world, and I congratulate you all.”

- A Call to Business Leaders to Continue Production

Hisarcıklıoğlu called on business leaders to continue production and continued his remarks as follows:

“Every one of my fellow businesspeople who continues to produce, buy, and sell under today’s economic conditions deserves a medal. At a time when conflicts and trade wars are rampant around the world, we in Türkiye are also striving to produce, buy, and sell. Do we have difficulties? Yes, we do. Just last week in Ankara, I met with bank CEOs and the Central Bank Governor. We conveyed your concerns and difficulties to them. In particular, we explained to them the cost of financing and the challenges we face in accessing it. We hope these issues will be resolved soon.”

Referring to the support provided to stock exchange and chamber members through the Credit Guarantee Fund and the “Breath Credits,” Hisarcıklıoğlu continued:

“In particular, as the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye, we are setting a precedent worldwide. We have reached a point where a father won’t vouch for his son, a brother won’t vouch for his brother, and a neighbor won’t vouch for a neighbor, but if you are a member of the Bolu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we will vouch for you with the bank. We tell the bank, ‘Grant this loan, I’ll take on 85 percent of the risk, and you’ll take on the remaining 15 percent.’ No one else in the world does this. Under this program, we have acted as guarantors for our approximately 600,000 members in Türkiye. They were able to easily access bank loans.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that the current situation is temporary, stating, “The future will be better than today because we are businesspeople. Also, by virtue of our faith, we cannot lose hope. The future will be better than today, take note of that. As long as we don’t let our unity and solidarity falter.”

- “Bolu is advancing its potential day by day”

Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydın also noted that the solid foundation laid in Bolu 100 years ago has become one of the strongest building blocks not only for trade but also for production, employment, entrepreneurship, and the city’s vision today.

Abdullah Alemdar, President of the Bolu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), noted that the Bolu CCI has guided the city’s economic development for a century, serving as a partner to countless entrepreneurs, investors, and businesspeople.

Alemdar noted that they will continue to work hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder to drive growth.

The program concluded with the cutting of the “100^th Anniversary Cake” and the presentation of awards by protocol members to the city’s top taxpayers and successful businesspeople in their respective fields.

The event was attended by AK Party Bolu Deputy Yüksel Coşkunyürek, CHP Bolu Deputy Türker Ateş, Bolu Deputy İsmail Akgül, members of the Bolu Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Board of Directors and Assembly, and business leaders.