YALCINDAG CHIDES THE GOV’T ON CRISIS

Hurriyet
April 15 2009
Turkey

WASHINGTON -Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association
Chairwoman Arzuhan Dogan Yalcındag criticizes the government for
misjudging the severity of the economic crisis during a speech in
Washington. The business body is looking forward to the ‘best era’
in bilateral relations, she says

The chairwoman of the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s
Association, or TUSÄ°AD, on Monday criticized Turkey’s prime minister
for failing to understand the severity of the global economic crisis
and in turn delaying the necessary economic measures.

"The government seriously misjudges the severity of the economic
crisis," said Arzuhan Dogan Yalcındag, chairwoman of TUSİAD, a
top Turkish business group, with members representing many of the
largest companies. "Its reluctance to face up to realities and the
expediency of [last month’s] local elections led it to postpone any
serious effort to come up with an economic program."

She was speaking at an event at the Brookings Institution marking the
release of a new TUSÄ°AD publication on U.S.-Turkish relations. But
her remarks received larger interest than the report itself.

Yalcındag said as a result of the economic crisis, industrial
input in Turkey had fallen precipitously, with unemployment reaching
historically high levels. "Now we expect the government to sign a
three-year [loan] agreement with the International Monetary Fund," she
said. She was referring to expected talks between Turkish authorities
and IMF officials for a new stand-by arrangement, under which Turkey
is expected to receive more than $20 billion in loans.

More AKP woes "We hope that this agreement will also demand an
independent tax authority. In recent months abuse of the government’s
tax authority reached an alarming degree," Yalcındag said. Her remarks
were a veiled reference to a $500 million dollar tax levy imposed on
Dogan Media Group, or DMG, Turkey’s biggest media group.

In relation to last month’s nationwide local elections, in which
Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, won some 39
percent of the general vote but lost part of support to opposition
parties, Yalcındag said, "in domestic politics we had plenty
of evidence for the authoritarian temptation on the part of the
government."

"There was growing concern that if the AKP remained unchallenged and
increased its support, this authoritarian trend would accelerate,"
she said. "As usual the Turkish electorate succeeded in rebalancing
the politics of Turkey. We hope that all parties heed the call for the
electorate and start working on a new type of politics for the future."

Yalcındag also voiced some procedural concern over the legal Ergenekon
case, in which scores of people, including senior retired generals,
have been arrested or detained over the past year, being charged with
plotting to overthrow the government.

"We support the civilization of Turkey’s politics and the cleaning
up of security forces," she said. "Yet I must share with you an
important concern: Procedurally the case was pursued carelessly,
and fundamental rights related to due process, to privacy and to
presumption of innocence may have been violated."

Foreign policy On foreign policy, Yalcındag raised a reconciliation
process between Turkey and Armenia, and closer relations achieved
with Iraq and Iraqi Kurds.

But she lamented that no major progress had been reached over the past
year on Turkey’s bid for eventual membership to the European Union.

"Neither side is enthusiastic about revitalizing the process," she
said. "They content themselves with keeping it barely alive."

Yalcındag voiced hope that U.S. President Barack Obama’s recent visit
to Turkey could open a new era of unprecedented close relations between
the two nations. "His messages were important. His commitment to
Turkish democracy, his praise for Turkey’s secularism and his support
for Turkey’s EU vocation were greatly appreciated. As was his message
of peace to the wider Muslim world," she said. "Let us hope that with
the president’s visit and the warm reception of his messages in Turkey,
we can look forward to the best era yet in Turkish-American relations."