Prominent business group TÜSİAD wants Turkey’s state of emergency to end

ANKARA

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The state of emergency declared after the July 15 coup attempt should be lifted immediately, said Cansen Başaran-Symes, the chair of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), also criticizing discussions on reinstating capital punishment as “worrying.” 

“Security concerns have been raised within the framework of combating terrorism and stopping the coup. But some state of emergency practices are causing a loss in confidence in our economy,” Başaran-Symes said at TÜSİAD’s High Advisory Council meeting in Ankara, speaking ahead of Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım.
 
“We expect the state of emergency to be terminated as soon as possible. We are waiting for an end to the government’s emergency decrees,” she added, referring to decrees that go into effect without parliament’s approval under the state of emergency, which was extended for three months in October. 

“Turkey needs to normalize. It is not possible to properly operate the market economy without a strong and just legal system and a fair taxing system. We need to portray a growth story immediately,” the TÜSİAD head said.

Touching on recent tensions between Brussels and Turkey, Başaran-Symes said Ankara should not step back from its earlier decisions in favor of joining the EU as a member. 

“We find the discussions on [reinstating] the death penalty worrying. Turkey’s EU relations are on the verge of a new insecurity,” she added. 

Capital punishment has not been implemented in Turkey since 1984, and was formally abolished officially in 2004 as part of the country’s bid to join the EU. However, following the failed July 15 coup attempt, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he would approve reinstating the death penalty - a move that would scupper EU talks – if parliament passes such a law.