The CHP’s rich dream for Turkey
The new deputy chairwoman of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in charge of economy, Selin Sayek Böke who is known for her successful academic career, seems to have entered the business faster than expected.
I had an opportunity to have two conversations with Böke during the week; she started by emphasizing the powerful preparation and sound foundations handed over to her by Faik Öztrak.
Böke has ambitious words; she said it will be the CHP that will take Turkey out of the medium income trap that it has fallen into when they come to power in 2015; and that the citizen will enjoy the fruits of this in two years at the most.
I have to admit I was surprised at Böke’s pace in a party like the CHP which does not move fast, because the economic program that will make this assertion come true is almost finished; it will be publicized after the Bayram holidays, in the first half of October.
As far as I understand Böke has, within CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu’s knowledge, worked with a crowded volunteer team, most of whom are in influential positions in international finance/economy circles.
This study, which is believed to have the capacity to eliminate all “economic questions and concerns,” will be full of surprising and interesting data, knowledge and proposals.
Without going into detail, a few of them are as such: There is no need to say this, but let us begin with this one: that free market economy will be maintained in full conformity with international rules, globally integrated and competitive.
A method similar to South Korea’s consistent and outspoken policies will be developed; in other words, reforms will be carried out that will enable the economy to act jointly with education, education with technology, technology with financial markets, etc…
There is not even one Turkish company among the world’s first 500 global brands; moreover, while the 500th company’s value has reached $3 billion, the largest Turkish company has remained at $2 billion.
This picture is bound to change, they say, but there are other astonishing facts.
In the simplest of terms, in every city of the world, while there are Chinese, French and Italian restaurants, why are there no Turkish restaurants, which is said to be the third largest cuisine?
Major claim in youth employment
As several examples of which have been experienced in the Justice and Development Party (AKP) era, there will not be changes in the law, legislation passing overnight, laws no one has been informed about beforehand; on the contrary, the rule of law will be fully implemented.
The main goal here is to provide equal opportunities to all entrepreneurs.
There will also be ambitious regulations opening way to young entrepreneurs and youth employment such as “This will be the best period of the Republic in terms of male-female youth employment.”
To this end, it is important that all of the cities in Anatolia trade with each other, because currently a major portion of urban trade is done in the three big cities.
As a result, the program which aims at “Turkey Enriching” and all details of which will be released soon can be summed up as “based on sound foundations, dynamic and participatory.”
Kılıçdaroğlu may join the first presentation on the economy, but it will be Böke and three or four others from her team at the podium, answering questions.
Another ambition is that there will not be one segment of society to which this program will not have been explained; we will see.