President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on May 18 praised Türkiye’s business community for supporting economic growth and disaster recovery efforts, while vowing to press ahead with policies aimed at boosting exports and curbing inflation despite global economic headwinds.
Speaking at an event organized by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), Erdoğan said the organization had become “the locomotive of Türkiye and our economy” and described it as the world’s third-largest chamber system in terms of service production.
The president said plaques were presented to 25 business figures in recognition of their contributions to the country’s economy and trade sector.
“Our recipients of honor certificates and plaques have paved the way for our country with their sacrifices,” Erdoğan said. “They worked hard, persevered, and never gave up on their passion to serve our nation.”
Erdoğan praised TOBB’s role in helping earthquake victims following the devastating Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes, saying the organization had allocated its resources to support relief efforts and housing construction.
He also highlighted the role of the business community in the development of Türkiye’s domestically produced electric vehicle brand, TOGG, saying the cars were now seen on roads in several European countries.
The president defended his government’s economic record, saying Türkiye had become more resilient against external shocks despite rising global protectionism and regional conflicts.
“Despite the conflicts in our region, we grew our economy by 3.6 percent last year,” Erdoğan said.
He said Türkiye’s national income had reached $1.6 trillion, while per capita income rose to $18,000. Erdoğan also said the country’s foreign trade volume had climbed to $820 billion and exports of goods and services had reached $396 billion.
“We will surpass $400 billion in the very near future,” he said.
At the same time, Erdoğan acknowledged ongoing economic difficulties and rising prices, saying the government was closely monitoring conditions in markets and on the streets.
“We are aware that not everything is rosy. We do not view the economy solely through data,” he said.
Erdoğan said authorities were continuing to take measures against inflation and accused some businesses of engaging in “opportunism” that could not be justified by increases in production or transportation costs.
The president also criticized what he described as pessimistic narratives about the Turkish economy.
“While we strive to break down the walls of learned helplessness imposed on Türkiye, some constantly put obstacles in our way,” Erdoğan said. “We will continue to achieve new successes.”
