Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO) Joint Professional Committees Meeting and September Assembly Meeting were held at the Chamber Main Building.
Speaking at the meeting bringing together 70 professional committees at BTSO, the President İbrahim Burkay informed that they are working in order to solve the problems experienced by the companies and to prepare the businesses for the future. Informing that they conveyed every idea, suggestion and request from the professional committees to the relevant institutions and ministries, especially TOBB, President Burkay stated that as a result of all these initiatives, many regulations that support production, employment and exports have been implemented. President Burkay thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek and the economy authorities for the regulations regarding increase of daily usage limits on rediscount credits, updating the definition of SME, gradual removal of the obligation to exchange export currencies, decrease of the requirement of conversion to exchange rate protected deposits and pre-announcing the exit strategy.
"Medium Term Program Provides a Predictable Model"
Stating that the Medium Term Program prepared in consultation with the business world contains important opportunities in terms of improving the business and investment environment, President Burkay said, "Our energy and labor costs have increased recently. Many of our companies could not fully pass these increases on to their prices. Despite measures like the loan protocol with 11 banks for our exporters and the increase in the limit for SMEs, the difficulties experienced in accessing financing continue to be common problems voiced by almost all of our committees. In addition, inflation accounting has now become a mandatory requirement for all our businesses. Improving the investment environment, narrowing the inflation-exchange rate gap and ensuring the inflation-interest rate balance are among our most important priorities. We continue our incentives on all these issues voiced by our members. Supporting qualified production, which forms the basis of our development goals, ensuring access to finance for our enterprises, and taking solid steps towards green and digital transformation will make our economy sustainable and more competitive. Therefore, in a period of increasing global uncertainties, it is a very valuable step to re-strengthen a predictable structure with the medium-term program."
Bursa Business School Adds Value to Uludağ
Emphasizing that they set forth an ambitious vision in 2013 when they started at BTSO, President Burkay said that they have realized more than 60 projects one after another with the support of the professional committees during the journey they had started with the target of 16 macro projects. Burkay stated that projects such as TEKNOSAB, BUTEKOM, Bursa Model Factory, MESYEB and GUHEM have become among the most remarkable values of not only Bursa but also Turkey and continued as follows: "One of our dreams in this process was to regain the Kirazlıyayla Sanatorium, one of the most important architectural structures of our Republican history, for Bursa as a 'lifelong education center'. We are proud to put a unique building designed by Emin Onat, the architect of Anıtkabir, and Leman Tomsu, one of the first female architects of our country, back into the service of Bursa and our country with one of the most comprehensive restoration works in the history of our Republic. Bursa Business School, which will make a great contribution to the brand identity of Uludağ, has the profile of a center where reason and knowledge meet."
Over 70 Astronauts and Cosmonauts in Bursa
Bursa Business School and Gökmen Space Aviation Training Center hosted the Planetary Congress, which was attended by more than 70 astronauts and cosmonauts from 19 countries, President Burkay said, "The Congress, which we organized in Bursa to open new horizons in space and aviation, is also the first major event where our Bursa Business School brand is showcased internationally. I hope that this important meeting, which will allow new collaborations in space studies and to closely follow the latest developments in space technologies, will be beneficial for Bursa and our country. We will continue to host major events such as Planetary Congress in the upcoming years."
"Competition Moves from Earth to Sky"
President Burkay stated that international competition is now moving from earth to the sky as a result of the developments in technology and said, " For many years, the exploration of space was a government policy, but nowadays private companies have started to take part in this race. Issues such as training the required human resources for space activities, producing the relevant equipment, international cooperation, and raising awareness also show the need for a complementary ecosystem. With the vision of 'National Technology Strong Industry', we have brought a new dimension to space activities. We raised significant awareness in this field, thanks to one of Europe's most important space aviation and experience centers GUHEM. In our meeting today, there are individuals who have devoted themselves to space and aviation studies and have succeeded in writing their names in the history of space and aviation. We are welcoming Alper Gezeravcı and Tuva Cihangir Atasever, who are the first astronaut candidates of our country, and Astronaut Eytan Stibbe. As BTSO, we will continue our contributions to ensure that our country ranks high in the global space race."
Astronaut Candidate Atasever Praises Bursa Business School and GUHEM
Turkey's first astronaut candidates Alper Gezeravcı and Tuva Cihangir Atasever and Astronaut Eytan Stibbe, all in Bursa for the Planetary Congress, also attended the meeting. Tuva Cihangir Atasever expressed his honor to be a part of Türkiye's first space journey. Atasever said that he applied for Turkey's first astronaut selection process announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2022 without any doubt, and noted that he believes that this mission will inspire future generations. Sharing his views on Bursa, Atasever said, "This is the first time I have been to Bursa in a long time. I was very impressed to see how your city is in harmony with its history and how it is looking to the future. I had the opportunity to get to know two projects of BTSO in particular. I had the chance to see Bursa Business School and GUHEM, where the congress of the Space Explorers Association was held. I would like to thank İbrahim Burkay, President of BTSO, for establishing these facilities in our country, for planting seeds for the future of our nation, not as an astronaut candidate, but as a Turkish youth who believes that the future of the Republic of Türkiye, its strategic survival and bright tomorrows lies in space technologies."
" Dreams of Future Generations Will No Longer Be Limited by the Sky but by the Depths of Space"
Alper Gezeravcı, Türkiye's first astronaut candidate, said that with the execution of the space mission, the limit for the dreams of future generations in Turkey will no longer be the sky, but the depths of space: " Almost 600 astronauts of various countries have carried out space missions. We are joining these countries. We are not breaking new ground in the world, but we are breaking new ground in the history of our country. It will be a very important step for today's children, our future generations, and a step that will raise their self-confidence. Its symbolic value is far beyond the objective works we are doing. Walking is a very ordinary activity for billions of people in the world today. But in the lives and hearts of every parent, the first step of their child is extremely precious. I am grateful to all of you, and the Republic of Turkey, for the willpower to creating this opportunity for us to carry out this mission with the modest means of our generous nation."
Future in Space
Astronaut Eytan Stibbe, who was selected for the special astronaut mission called Axiom Mission 1 and went to the International Space Station (ISS), said that the future of everything from technology to education is linked to space. Stibbe mentioned that they came to Bursa together with astronauts from the USA, China, Russia and European countries and said, "We are talking about the future of space together with astronauts at the Planetary Congress. It was a dream to go to space and I was able to realize it. Türkiye will join us soon. This is a very important mission. We aim to make everyone a part of this process. We want to involve children and business people in space studies. We could also build a center like GUHEM in Bursa. This way, the importance and goals of space missions can be better understood."
After the Joint Professional Committees Meeting, BTSO September Assembly meeting was opened by BTSO Assembly Chairman Ali Uğur. Uğur, who informed the members about the Assembly agenda, said the following in his speech: "We are in a period when the world is undergoing a very rapid economic change. The business world needs to monitor this change very closely. Our BTSO board of directors, professional committees and sector councils continue to operate in this respect. We are completing September at a very intense pace. While our professional committees continue to identify and solve problems in cooperation with associations and professional organizations related to their sectors, our sector councils aim to create future visions with comprehensive workshop programs. I would like to thank all our Assembly members for their devoted work." |
