TÜSİAD Chairwoman: Intolerance Towards Freedom Of Expression Should Be Overcome

Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD) Chair Cansen Başaran-Symes has said intolerance towards freedom of expression and freedom of thought should be overcome, and that many other urgent problems such as poor economic performance and corruption should be addressed.
The chairwoman underlined the problems with corruption and the justice system as well as the decline in the both foreign direct and domestic investment and a high current account deficit, in addition to the increasing inflation rate as the main problems that should be tackled urgently.
Speaking at the 46th ordinary general assembly of TÜSİAD on Thursday, Başaran-Symes stated that Turkey entered 2016 in an increased environment of uncertainty in terms of many issues on the country's current agenda, such as obstacles to freedom of thought.
Başaran-Symes stressed that an atmosphere of polarization and the terror problem should not allowed to destroy the peaceful coexistence of the Turkish people and went on to say: "The ongoing conflict [in the Southeast] should be stopped and the PKK [the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party] should lay down its arms so that the [Kurdish] settlement process can be resumed."
She noted that the rate of global economic growth has slowed dramatically and that differences between developed and developing countries have almost disappeared. Slowing economies in developing countries dealt a great blow to the global economy, as the distribution of income has deteriorated.
"The issue of [Syrian] refugees will continue to be most severe problem of this century. The sustainability and a type of inclusive growth is on the agenda of world leaders, as a high rate of unemployment and [economic] slowdown have played into the hands of the extreme right in Europe. Turkey, as a country which has yet to complete its process of industrialization, should keep the unemployment rate below 5 percent. The increase in the inflation rate should be reversed. TÜSİAD is pleased to observe that the government is determined to have a reform package, but the current poor economic performance requires an urgent action plan to be put into practice," Başaran-Symes said.
On the issue of terrorism, Başaran-Symes recalled that since the summer of 2015 over a thousand members of the security forces have been killed in clashes with the PKK and thousands of civilians wounded, adding: "The terrorist PKK, which has claimed its actions are on behalf of the Kurdish people, makes life miserable for them. I want to remind [people] that peace existed and a path towards a solution of the problem was being followed as well, as our [TÜSİAD] visit to the troubled region in order to demonstrate support for the settlement process just a year ago showed. There was a belief that the reign of violence and terror was irreversibly shelved from the country's agenda. Today, it is sad to see that [the former method] of a full-fledged return to fighting against terrorism is present."
She called for an end to the battle in the region and for the PKK to stop the violence so that political channels can be opened for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish problem, adding: "I believe a historic mission falls on Parliament; domestic peace might come to fruition via a meaningful consensus reached under Parliament. While the circle of fire around Turkey deepens, Turkey needs the establishment of peace more than ever."
Regarding the humanitarian crisis in Syria, which has suffered from a civil war since 2011, the chairman noted that the proxy war that is being conducted in Syria has devastated Turkey's neighbor.
"An influx of refugees from the city of Aleppo is being observed as people flee the war and mass at the border. The issue is not only limited to those international agreements, financial packages or how 'we will protect ourselves from the flow of refugees.' The problem should be solved at the place where the problem starts," Başaran-Symes declared.
Mentioning the country's dire economic figures, she stated that the world is experiencing the eighth year of a global economic crisis and that the worst phase of it has not yet passed.
"The average global growth rate suffers from a 30 percent decline. Growth has stalled in all economies regardless of whether they are developed or developing countries. The drop in commodity prices and slowdown in developing economies has continued to destroy the global economy and financial markets," she added.
She also talked about the current situation of the Turkish judicial system, which is under heavy criticism on claims that it is no longer objective, and said: "Economic growth and innovative competition in the new economic order requires democratization, transparency and a liberal system based on the rule of law, where accountability is a must. Trust in the judicial system seems to have been destroyed in Turkish society. In such an atmosphere, sustaining economic success is impossible."

[Cihan/Today's Zaman]