Eurochamber looks at crisis’ bright side

MADRID - Anatolia News Agency

European countries with troubled economies have a positive impact on Turkey, says Alessandro Barberis, head cof Eurochamber which represents 2,000 chambers. AA photo

The Turkish economy is experiencing a two-pronged positive period in terms of its economy, the president of the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Eurochambres) Alessandro Barberis said yesterday.

“First of all, the Turkish economy is performing well and secondly, there are countries in Europe going through an economic crisis. European countries with troubled economies have a positive impact on Turkey. We should not, however, forget that 10 years ago European countries were doing well economically while Turkey had a bad economy. There are always ups and downs,” he said.

Around 2,000 chambers of trade and industry from 45 European countries are members of the Eurochambres. More than 20 million companies are members of such chambers of trade and industry in Europe. The Union of Chambers Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu also serves as the vice president of the Eurochambers.

Barberis indicated that he believed European companies would eventually overcome the economic crisis. “You have to be optimistic even in situations that seem impossible. This is the basis of the economy. You cannot do work without being optimistic,” he said.

European Union leaders must act together to overcome problems, embrace the euro more and conduct effective politics, Barberis stressed. “Our priority in the crisis period is to extend assistance to small and medium-scale companies in Europe … We are trying to do this by sending aid from Brussels to various chambers of trade,” he said, adding that the impact of the economic crisis on companies was part of the game.

“We need to implement projects for restructuring and development in order to solve problems one by one,” Barberis noted.