Top Turkish business group 'happy' with new cabinet program

ÇANAKKALE - Doğan News Agency

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The head of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) has said its members are pleased to see their own targets included in the new cabinet’s governing program, also emphasizing the importance of maintaining of democratic standards in the country. 

“As members of TÜSİAD, we have always voice our expectations and projects to enable our country to become a stronger democracy and a more robust economy. The new cabinet announced its program this week. It is time for all of us to imagine what to expect from Turkey for the next four years. We expressed out expectations in terms of higher democratic standards and freedoms, more inclusive growth and a more fertile investment climate, in several meetings. We are happy to see these targets in the new cabinet program,” said TÜSİAD President Cansen Başaran-Symes at the 19th Enterprise and Business World Summit in the Aegean province of Çanakkale. 

She also noted that it is very difficult to talk about democratic standards without having the right to information. 

“We still have miles to drive in the fields of liberties and democracy, but the cabinet program also underlines these targets. We expect to see valuable action to reach these targets in the coming days … It is time to act rather than talk,” Başaran-Symes added. 

Turkish Enterprise and Business Cooperation (TURKONFED) head Tarkan Kadooğlu also voiced his hopes for democratic steps forward. 

“Our first expectation is about fostering democratic standards and participation in decision-making processes. This also covers the preparation of a new constitution, the maintenance of the peace process, the implementation of regulative and monitoring reforms as well as local government reforms,” Kadooğlu said. 

“The second heading covers the issues about encouraging entrepreneurship and competitiveness. We expect the creation of policies to support small and medium-sized enterprises [SMEs], detailed educational reforms, measures to boost employment, a regional and research and development system, and the maintenance of policies to enable SMEs to adapt to the digital economy,” he added. 

“Last but not the least, we expect acceleration in the adoption of European Union rules and integration into the EU. This also covers several steps to update the Customs Union, to become a part of the planned Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, to take measures in terms of migration policies immediately, and to ensure regional development. We shared a wider version of these proposals with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu in our latest economic summit, and we are very happy to see our proposals have taken place in the 64th government’s program,” Kadooğlu also said.