Erdoğan rebukes opponents of the EU
Posted by meb at February 23rd, 2007
Prime Minister Erdoğan directed warnings at those in Turkey who strongly oppose EU membership, and chided them by saying “things do not move on just by singing songs.”
Erdoğan said having representatives of global capital companies in Turkey was a clear indication of Turkey’s success in becoming a center for investments. “I dedicate this success to those who are against the EU,” said Erdoğan. He also noted that 8,203 out of 14,955 foreign investors in Turkey are from the EU.
The prime minister was speaking on the second day of the “Turkey, country of opportunities on the way to success” conference, organized by the International Investors Association (YASED) in İstanbul. Erdoğan talked heavily about Turkey’s recent successful economic performance. With the growth, development and improvement in the last few years, Turkey was beginning to be called a “country of opportunities,” Erdoğan claimed. He said the government would keep working hard to improve economic and political stability, increase the wealth of the population and create new production and employment areas. Erdoğan also touched on the current account deficit in Turkey and responded to critics who claim the deficit is climbing too high and will eventually lead to a bitter crisis. “The current account deficit is not always a misery. If you have a strong foothold, the deficit is an incentive.” He recited a Turkish proverb, “debt is the whip of a brave man,” which means that debt will encourage a person to become stronger only if he or she is brave enough. “It will be a whip if you are brave, otherwise it turns out to be a calamity,” said Erdoğan.
Erdoğan also answered the fierce critics from extreme nationalist factions about the sale of property and real estate to foreigners. “They say we are selling the country. This is thoroughly nonsense. Which son of this country would dare to attempt such a thing. You sell a department store and they are shouting ‘they are selling the country.’ Why don’t you raise your voice when one your citizens buys property in Germany.” There are 14,955 foreign companies and 8,203 of them are from the European Union area, therefore everyone must be careful in their statements regarding relations with the EU, said Erdoğan.
YASED chairman Şaban Erdikler also argued against those opposed to foreign capital investments. “No one must stir the mind with expressions like ‘our banks are going away, our soil is being sold,’” said Erdikler. He noted that globalization had increased competition and made countries and companies more productive and competitive. He said global companies must seriously consider investing in Turkey to become more successful. Turkey has increased its importance in the world, claimed Erdikler and added, “We will make Turkey the world’s 10th largest economy and for this, we will fully benefit from international capital.”
Other attendees also made interesting remarks regarding investment conditions in Turkey. Laurence Parisot, president of the Movement of the French Enterprises, which represents 750,000 French companies, said being established in Turkey meant taking part in one of the largest markets in the world.
“Turkey has a magnificent past and it will have a magnificent future,” said Parisot. He added that French investments in Turkey at present were providing 45,000 people with jobs.
Parisot, however, warned about existing obstacles still bothering foreign investors, particularly from bureaucracy. He noted that reforms in tax, social security and education are indispensable, as well as deregulations in employment and agriculture markets. He completed his speech by saying “I love Turkey very much” in Turkish.
Chairman of Eczacıbaşı Holding Bülent Eczacıbaşı praised Turkey’s recent economic success but underlined that it would never be enough. “We also see that our struggle against inflation still wasn’t completely successful. Turkey tops inflation lists among world countries,” warned Eczacıbaşı.
Mustafa Boydak, chairman of the Kayseri Chamber of Commerce, described his desire to increase foreign investment in Kayseri. Noting that foreign investment usually begun from the service sector, he expressed his hope of moving the level of foreign interest into local markets further so that they would also include other sectors.
source: Today’s Zaman
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