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The Ottoman fountains of Istanbul >>
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Turning Istanbul into capital (of culture) >>
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Istanbul's summit of contemporary art >>
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Penn Museum, Philadelphia >>
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Current News
Future economy at the hands of Simsek and Unakitan
Friday, August 31, 2007
Ankara/ Izmir - Referans / Turkish Daily News
Nazim Ekren, Mehmet Simsek and Kemal Unakitan have become the new leaders of Turkish economy as ministers in the 60th government, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday following the approval of President Abdullah Gul.
Nazim Ekren, substituting Abdullatif Sener in the 60th government, will focus on running economic policies. His duties also include overseeing the work of ministers including Simsek and Unakitan, Head of Treasury and Finance Minister, respectively. In the previous government Ekren played an influential role in the drafting of critical laws and the making of public sector appointments.
Mehmet Simsek, previously the chief of Merrill Lynch's Middle East and Africa Economic Research Department in London, was appointed as Head of the Treasury. Ali Babacan, appointed as Foreign Minister on Wednesday, held the position formerly.
Kemal Unakitan will continue in his position as Finance Minister. The continuation as his role as Finance Minister was a surprise as Unakitan was expected to become the economic coordination minister.
Business world gives vote of confidence to ministers:
Turkish business circles have given their full support to the appointments. Many have hailed particularly the appointment of Zafer Caglayan, an industrialist, as Minister of Industry and Trade.
“Economy has been places at the hands of those who are have knowledge in it,” said several representatives of the Turkish business world, expecting that several micro reforms will be implemented next. Business circles expecting to see a government program that focuses on production and exportation in agriculture, industry, stockbreeding and the mining sector, said Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM) Chairman Oguz Satici. “The presence of Zafer Caglayan and Nazim Ekren in the cabinet is a positive development. We expect that the government, which strengthened the banking system in the past five years, will make a program focusing on production and exportation in the upcoming period.”
Izmir Chamber of Commerce (ITO) Chairman Ekrem Demirtas, giving his evaluation of the 60th Turkish government to the Dogan news agency, described Zafer Caglayan as "one of us." He also noted that the “Ministry of Industry and Commerce is poised to undertake several highly efficient studies.”
Aegean Region Chamber of Industry (EBSO) President Tamer Taskin said that he was thrilled to see eight new names among the ministers. “After evaluating their experience, we are pleased. We, as a chamber of commerce, consider Caglayan's appointment a positive one.”
Commenting on Turkey wasting time on the months-long debate on the presidential elections, ESİAD President Mehmet Ali Kasali stated: “I expect a reformist government. Turkey has lot of things to do. Many issues that have been put off, like European Union membership, need to be dealt with.”
“I certainly expect the new government to reach decisions on micro-economy. After that I believe they will make decisions on local issues,” said Akfen Holding Chairman Hamdi Akin.
Trust in the new government:
“Caglayan is someone who is acquainted in detail with the problems of industries, real sector and small and medium sized enterprises. We believe that he will be very successful,” said Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO) Chairman Nurettin Ozdebir.
Hazim Sesli, vice chairman of Turkey Young Businessmen Confederation (TUGİK) also found the cabinet appropriate. “For us it is an additional source of delight that the position of Ministry of Industry and Trade has been given to Zafer Caglayan,” said Sesli.
Caglayan is an important name for the agricultural sector, said İbrahim Yetkin, chairman of Agricultures Association of Turkey. Gaziantep Chamber of Industry (GSO) Chairman Nejat Kocer added that particularly the appointments of Simsek and Caglayan pleased them.
© 2005 Dogan Daily News Inc. www.turkishdailynews.com.tr
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