The judicial decision on the İzmir Bay Crossing
The developments that a European lives in a month we experience in a matter of days.
Sometimes, one day is not enough to follow the pace of events.
But I need to say this: Turkish people are practical, they know crisis management.
They know to find rational, sui generis solutions all the time.
That is why I think the latest fluctuations are temporary.
The real issue we have to deal with pertains to ourselves.
We need to do our homework. And for that we need more democracy.
I always put democracy ahead of economy. Because economic difficulties could somehow be solved.
What matters is for Turkey to make the wheels of democracy turn faster and in a timely fashion. The stronger civil society gets, the better.
It is to the benefit of all of us to have a more vocal civil society that unites better and takes more ownership of Turkey’s problems. We should not wait for everything from the state and politicians.
Political authority is obviously important for public order and to fasten the working of the state.
But the sensitivity of the civil society is equally important. What matters is for us to take lessons from what we are passing through currently.
Turkey needs to grow and for that it needs to produce.
We produce much lower than the current potential. We need to use technology better. We need to produce and sell technology.
Of course we have registered important progress. But we are far from where we want to be.
Turkey is a strong country and it will remains strong.
We need to support local production.
Personally, I always prefer to opt for local products if I have to buy something for myself or for my family and relatives.
I have visited several factories like the one that manufactures Vestel. I know Arçelik and Beko factories are nowhere to be found even in Europe. We need to gain the habit of using local products and support production.
I am for the İzmir Bay Crossing
The court said to stop the İzmir Bay Crossing project. It ruled that the project had failed to sufficiently assess the possible risks to wildlife protection areas and the wetlands of the Gediz Delta.
We respect the judicial decision; its rulings are above everything. But I have to underline that there are similar examples in the world. These projects have been implemented years ago. I am very sensitive to areas under protection. But we should not forget solutions can always be found with today’s technology.
Is this project a priority for Turkey? Does İzmir have more urgent problems waiting to be solved? Yes, İzmir has more urgent problems. But I still think İzmir needs this project.
The court may have asked for a more detailed technical study about the project. But that does not mean this is a wrong and unnecessary project.
We have to make environment and nature friendly projects.
No one can ask for or support the opposite.
