TUSIAD attack on new economic model slammed

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Former government officials have criticized the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TUSIAD) attack on the new economic model initiated by the government, Yeni Shafak has reported.

The ex-politicians characterized TUSIAD’s targeting the new economy model (which is based on production, employment and exports with low interest) as an obstacle to the development moves initiated by the government from time to time.

They stated that NGOs led by TUSIAD and the media had targeted Necmeddin Erbakan's government, which wanted to start a production move in 1997.

Former Culture Minister Ismail Kahraman said that Turkey’s development is immediately blocked and hindered whenever it starts to grow.

He added that Turkey’s history is full of these kinds of examples and similar quests exist today as well. On February 28, 1997, TUSIAD along with other financial organizations supported former Prime Minister Erbakan’s removal from power, who tried to develop the national economy and they are still in the same quest today, Kahraman said.

Former State Minister Teoman Riza Guneri underlined that TUSIAD has taken a stand against the governments and in favor of the tutelage centers in every similar situation. The Erbakan government that day invented the pool system, and the need for domestic borrowing decreased. Thereupon, TUSIAD became involved in an uprising against the government, as their own interests disappeared, he added.

Erol Yarar, the ex-president of MUSAID’s (Association of Independent Industrialists and Entrepreneurs), stressed that there is no difference between TUSIAD’s attitude on February 28 and that of TUSIAD today.

“At that time, they targeted Erbakan with discourses such as religiousness, Islamism and secularism. Today, instead of defending stability, they directly attack politics with political slogans. Look at the balance sheets of TUSIAD members in the past 20 years; they have all grown 10 times. They owe this growth to the political power,” Erol said.

Former MP Necmettin Aydin claimed that TUSIAD and the companies owned by its members are the extensions of international capital in Turkey. Turkey was a country that TUSIAD ruled behind the scenes for a certain period of time, he emphasized.

“Yesterday, together with TUSIAD, the NGOs and media of the period said that Erbakan should fall no matter what, and they succeeded. This is what is wanted to be done to Tayyip Bey [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] today. Because Erdogan continues with an economic model based on production and exports, not interest. We should not give an opportunity to centers that do not want the welfare and happiness of our people,” businessman Mustafa Koca stressed.