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ICI Hosted Ali Yerlikaya, Istanbul Governor in September Assembly Meeting

25.09.2019
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Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICI) September Ordinary Assembly meeting was held on 25 September 2019 with the main agenda of “Overview to Future, Problems and Cooperation Opportunities of Our Industry in accompany with Istanbul Vision Aware of the Power and Value of Manufacture” in Odakule Fazıl Zobu Assembly Hall. Ali Yerlikaya, Istanbul Governor participated in the meeting as guest chaired by Serdar Urfalılar, ICI Vice President of the Assembly.

Ali Yerlikaya, Istanbul Governor said that: “We are decisive about the unrecorded. We will carry out serious audits in the field starting on 1st of November. We do not want to issue penalty for any employer. I am calling out for our employer friends: Help both yourself and us. Do not employ any illegal immigrant.” in his speech he made in ICI Assembly.

Erdal Bahçıvan, Chairman of Board of Directors of Istanbul Chamber of Industry drew attention to unregistered employment which causes decrease in state income, increase in fiscal deficit, damage in all sectors especially those based on effort in his speech he made about the Assembly agenda. Bahçıvan stated that: “Unregistered employment rate in Türkiye is 35 percent. Namely, one out of every three people is unregistered. Employing unregistered person in this era is of civilization shame. Permanent and structural solutions are needed in the fight against the unregistered which causes unfair competence.”

Stating that the future of Istanbul’s industry should be approached within the framework of governmental policy, ICI Chairman mentioned about the 2023 Industry and Technology Strategy announced in last week and said that: “Istanbul’s industry should be strengthened in the path of meeting the targets in 2023 Industry and Technology Strategy which is of promising for the future. We will take firm steps towards meeting the target of taking place among the top 10 economies of the world as Türkiye through this vision.”

ICI August ordinary Assembly meeting was opened by Serdar Urfalılar, ICI Vice President of the Assembly. Urfalılar started his speech while launching the meeting with those words:

“As the industrialists, we attach great importance to the establishment of two new generation OIS promptly, one in European and another in Asian Sides to provide the opportunity for the industrial transformation in Istanbul.

Appropriate lands should be assigned for private sector in compliance with the project requirements through the Property Industry rental and an opportunity for industrial land and factory building in the long run should be provided.

‘2023 Industry and Technology Strategy’ drawn by the Ministry of Industry and Technology includes significant targets for qualified transformation of our industry. We would like Istanbul Development Agency for which presidency position you have undertaken to support us, the industrialists in this matter.

Professional training matter and employment are of critical importance for our industry. I would like to express that we are the chamber which exhibits the most active efforts recently with great proud. Carrying the cooperation and dialog of example which we have exhibited with our Governance and Provincial Directorate of National Education further will contribute to country and city economy.

İSO Meclis Başkan Yardımcısı Serdar Urfalılar

A new fair area is needed in Ataturk Airport region. Meeting this need is of vital importance for the future of our industry and export. It is useful to highlight the desire of Istanbul Chamber of Industry in this matter once again.

Unfortunately, earthquake is still the primary risk in Istanbul for both our community and industry. Urban transformation is of a great step to decrease this risk in this field. On the other hand, more importance should be attached to the raising of the awareness of Istanbul people in obligatory earthquake insurance.”

Following the speech of Urfalılar, Erdal Bahçıvan, Chairman of ICI Board of Directors was invited to the rostrum to make his speech about the main agenda item. Stating that Ministry of Industry and Technology announced a new strategy document in the last week, Bahçıvan said that “2023 Industry and Technology Strategy” drawn with a stakeholder-oriented approach gives power and hope for an innovative and more developed industry by supporting industry and technology in the development.

Pointing out that the improvement of production capacity of the products of critical importance and high future potential for Türkiye with Technology-Oriented Industry Movement Program is aimed, Bahçıvan expressed that the supports and incentives provided by Ministry of Industry and Technology and affiliate institutions will be directed to intermediate-advanced and advanced technology sectors. Bahçıvan said that all supports will be presented though a single window mechanism which they support all the time. Bahçıvan expressed that ICI sees itself as a stakeholder in this sense and it will provide intense contribution to help meet the targets as it does all the time.

Bahçıvan highlighted that if the targets specified by 2023 Industry and Technology Strategy drawn by Ministry of Industry and Technology are aimed to be met, then strengthening Istanbul industry should be the most fundamental planning approach.

For protecting the public interest, touching upon the unregistered employment which they consider as a vital problem, Bahçıvan said that: “Unregistered employment which causes decrease in the state income and increase in fiscal deficit is a significant driving force behind the unfair competition and it causes damage on all sectors, especially those based on effort. Besides, employing unregistered person in this era is of civilization shame.”

Providing the information that even if the unregistered employment rate in the level of 55 percent during 1990 decreased significantly in time, it has been still in the level of 35 percent since June; Bahçıvan said that this rate which means that one of every three person is unregistered employee demonstrates the seriousness of the problem. Bahçıvan told that even if they have taken significant steps in fight against the unregistered, they are in need of permanent and structural solutions.

Bahçıvan stated that even if the unregistered rate in Istanbul is under the country average with 21 percent, it is of high importance to decrease this rate in Istanbul which undertakes 40 percent of the country economy within the shortest time.

Especially underlying that they do not only evaluate this matter through their perspective as the soldiers of registered economy but also they attach great importance to the unjust treatment caused on the employees as the responsible citizens of this city, Bahçıvan continued:

“As Istanbul Chamber of Industry, we provide full support for all works carried out by our government and governance for prevention of the unregistered employment which causes great damage on both employer and employee causing negative impact on our competitive capacity. We will share the negative impacts of unregistered employment on our sectors regularly with our Governance in the following process.”

Ali Yerlikaya, Istanbul Governor coming to the rostrum and calling to ICI Assembly Members said that they are engaged in works regarding the local elections after taking the position of Governor. Yerlikaya told that they experienced a peaceful election process. Stating that they started to fight against the illegal immigration after 12 July, Yerlikaya stated that they came together with Arabic NGOs and tried to find a common ground. Telling that they transformed 33.500 people unregistered in Istanbul to the return points, Yerlikaya expressed that they bed capacity for guests in Türkiye provided for the service of themselves in this process.

Providing information in fighting against the unregistered employment, Yerlikaya said that a time frame has been provided for business facilities until 30 October. Touching upon that the level of unregistered employment is above the official figures, Yerlikaya underlined that they are intended to provide guidance after the audit and increase the awareness. Yerlikaya provided the information that they have visited 42 thousands of business facilities so far with 100 audit units and provided guidance. Recording that they are intended to provide guidance for 70 thousands of business facilities until 30 October, Yerlikaya said that they will start audit after so-called date. Telling that they have established a contact with certified public accountant, Yerlikaya said that they warned the business facilities with which they provided service on unregistered employment.

Yerlikaya stated that: “We are decisive about the unrecorded. We will carry out serious audits in the field starting on 1st of November. We do not want to issue penalty for any employer. I am calling out for our employer friends: Help both yourself and us. Do not employ any illegal immigrant.”

Following the speech, ICI Assembly Members taking to the rostrum and directed their questions to Yerlikaya, Governor and shared their opinions regarding the agenda. Then Yerlikaya answered the questions of ICI Assembly Members on the rostrum.