Page 14 - LabMedya English - 02

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TURKEY’S TOP CEOS WARN OF

SERIOUS ECONOMIC RISKS,

URGE MAINTENANCE OF KEY

INSTITUTIONS

“[The measures taken so far] may EMPHASIS ON SECULARISM Bilecik emphasized the importance
lead to a short-term cure, but are Başaran-Symes also underlined of democratic rule, rule of law and
not enough to save tomorrow,” the importance of the maintenance education on the road to making
said Turkish Industry and Business of a number of crucial institutions, Turkey a prosperous country in his
Association’s (TÜSİAD) high including secularism, for the sake first speech as the new TÜSİAD
advisory board president, Tuncay of an economic recovery and social president.
Özilhan, on Jan. 12. peace.
The Turkish Lira has lost around 10
“The global funds, which enabled our “It is not possible for Turkey to percent of its value just since the
country to grow in a rapid manner prevent its engulfment by the pains beginning of 2017, becoming the
in the first half of the 2000s, have of the Middle East without the worst-hit emerging currency, amid
now veered back. In a bid to ease the existence of secularism … Turkey several concerns about Turkey’s
economic problems, our economic cannot overcome the escalating political reforms, its sluggish
administration has taken a series of security concerns by constantly economy, rising inflation and terror
measures,” Özilhan said at a general extending the state of emergency,” attacks.
board meeting of their organization, she said in her speech.
but noted that the measures were
insufficient. Noting that Turkey was once seen an NOW OR NEVER
exemplary country by its neighbors, Many businesspeople and
“It may now be possible to refloat the she said: “If we want to raise our economists recently called for the
struggling companies in the short- competitiveness, we must make it easing of uncertainties to return the
term, but this cannot be sustained,” possible for our qualified people to economy to a growth track.
TURKEY’S TOP he added. work peacefully in Turkey.”
CEOS HAVE Amid rising economic and financial
WARNED OF Özilhan noted that it is a must She also said Turkey should “never concerns, President Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan reiterated his call on the
to maintain the rule of law,
quit its European Union agenda.”
THE SERIOUS meritocracy, pluralism, justice, business world to invest, produce
ECONOMIC RISKS robust bureaucratic institutions, “More importantly, Turkey can only and increase employment by taking
FACING THE secularism, freedom of speech secure its future welfare by renewing risks today as there might otherwise
be nothing left to risk tomorrow.
and economic stability in order to
COUNTRY, NOTING enhance economic recovery and its institutions, enhancing the rule
of law, showing respect to human
THE URGENT NEED attract foreign investment. rights and property ownership “I am here calling for the business
FOR TURKEY TO rights and adopting smart economic world to invest, to create new jobs
STRENGTHEN KEY “Uncertainties and political risks can and technological policies which and to cause economic activity to
thus be minimized, pushing down
rebound … If they do not take these
will enable Turkish businesses to
INSTITUTIONS interest rates and inflation, making become more competitive. We are risks now, they will have nothing to
AND DECREASE the Turkish Lira a valuable currency transferring all of our missions to risk tomorrow,” he said in a speech
POLITICAL and increasing the investment TÜSİAD’s new board,” she added. in Ankara on Jan. 12.
inflow into our country,” he added
UNCERTAINTIES. at the meeting in Istanbul, where the Leading businesspeople Ali Koç,
association elected a new president, Simone Kaslowki and Murat Özyeğin
Index Group CEO Erol Bilecik, to were appointed as the new vice
replace Cansen Başaran-Symes. presidents of the association.