Türkiye Will Never Be Intimidated By Terror
- 25.01.2017
- Archive
The power and energy of Türkiye that need to be focused on growth, welfare and civilization are, unfortunately, wanted to be canalized to other directions as we, all, sadly witnessed recently. We had witnessed malicious attacks targeting our police in Beşiktaş and soldiers in Kayseri. Nationally, we had a great sorrow. I, vehemently, condemn these attacks. I wish our martyrs mercy, their families patience and the wounded quick recovery.
Even though we are in a deep sorrow, we fill not fall into the violent and inhumane traps of terror. Our trust in our future will never be lost. We should try to get out of this tough period by producing and continuing our lives. As ICI, we had continued our operations always with this mentality, and will continue to do so.
By welcoming Turkish Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Mr. Mehmet Müezzinoğlu in our Assembly meeting in November, we got the chance to personally express our issues and solution suggestions concerning all of us closely as the industrialists to Mr. Minister. In this issue of our magazine, you can find detailed information and explanations regarding this subject.
As Istanbul Chamber of Industry, we attach great importance to professional training. In this framework, we had discussed with Turkish Minister of National Education, Mr. Ismet Yılmaz the cooperation opportunities between ICI, ICI Foundation and the Ministry of National Education regarding vocational training. Moreover, we had a very productive meeting about the issues faced in Organized Industrial Zones and solution propositions with Turkish Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, Mr. Faruk Özlü and Organized Industrial Zone Presidents in Istanbul.
As ICI, we are always right besides our SMEs in their difficulties accessing financing. Thus, we strongly support the "Breath Credit" campaign initiated by Turkish Union of Chambers and Exchange Commodities. We, as Istanbul Chamber of Industry, joined this campaign by creating a total credit volume of 75 million TL for the use of our member SMEs. The opportunity of SMEs to benefit from a loan with one-year maturity and 9.9 percent interest through banks continues as of December 19.
As Istanbul Chamber of Industry, we also organized "Country Days" to be informed about other countries and improve our cooperation with them in order to contribute to both industrial and commercial life of Istanbul. The "Pakistan Country Day and Opportunities for Türkiye Conference" held on December 15 within this scope welcomed Consul General of Pakistan in Istanbul, senior bureaucrats of Turkish Ministry of Economy and our members. I believe that the mutual trade and cooperation between these two brother countries will improve further with the contribution of their businesspeople.
Our efforts to bring service to the doorsteps of our members continue. We are pleased to commission another service division. We had opened ICI Tuzla Service Division last month with a ceremony. ICI Tuzla Service Division, which is located inside the service building in Istanbul Anatolian Side Organized Industrial Zone in Tuzla, enables various operations for industrial firms to be carried out here.
We are closing another year with a busy schedule. While closing the year 2016, I wish this new year to bring welfare, prosperity and peace to Türkiye and us, the industrialists.
Erdal Bahçıvan
Istanbul Chamber of Industry
Chairman of the Board