President Erdoğan closed the door on discussions about early elections.

President Erdoğan, who attended the 10th Meeting of the Investment Advisory Council at the Dolmabahçe Office of the Presidency, addressed the recent discussions about early elections frequently raised by the opposition front.

"THERE ARE 3.5 YEARS WITHOUT ELECTIONS"

Stating that they are planning as the government and the alliance according to the year 2028, Erdoğan said, "As the government and the alliance, we are making all our plans according to 2028. We are striving to use the authority given by the nation in the elections on May 14-28 in the best and most efficient way possible. We see the discussions about early elections brought up by the opposition to overshadow their internal conflicts as beating water in a mortar. There are 3.5 years without elections. We can only achieve our goals in the economy, defense, and democracy by making the most of these 3.5 years. Any agenda outside of this is virtual. They are unnecessary moves aimed at consuming the country's energy. Our Presidential Investment Office is at your service 24/7. Our relevant ministries are also ready to provide you with the necessary support. I want you to know that we stand by everyone who trusts the Turkish economy and will continue to do so," he stated.

Highlights from Erdoğan's statements;

"I am very pleased to host you in Istanbul due to our Investment Advisory Council Meeting. We have taken into account the proposals and recommendations conveyed in the Council while improving our country's investment environment. We have taken revolutionary steps. Thanks to these, our country has become one of the leading destinations for direct investments. We are determined to make the Century of Turkey the century of investment.

As you know, the disruptions in global supply chains and geopolitical tensions after Covid-19 are reshaping trade and investments. Turkey, with its production capacity, infrastructure, qualified human resources, and global integration, is among the countries that have adapted to the transformation process the fastest. The crisis in the Suez Canal at the beginning of the year has revealed how fragile global trade is. Turkey has proven to be a reliable partner by offering alternative transportation routes.

In 2002, while Turkey had a share of 0.5% in world trade with an export of 36 billion dollars, today we have increased our share to over 1% with an export reaching 256 billion dollars. Here, we are not just talking about an increase in volume. We have also expanded the technology composition of the products we export. Over the last 21 years, we have recorded an average annual growth of 5.4%, rising to 11th place according to purchasing power parity.

"MORE THAN 83 THOUSAND MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES..."

International direct investments have contributed to us during this process. Turkey, which received only 15 billion dollars in investments in the 30 years before 2003, attracted 268 billion dollars in investments in the last 20 years. In 2002, only 5,600 international capital companies were operating in our country. Today, we host more than 83 thousand multinational companies. There is a win-win situation here. International capital companies accounted for approximately 31% of the exports made in Turkey over the last 15 years. Turkey's leadership in manufacturing industry investments is also noteworthy. In the new era, it will continue to be one of the leading economies preferred by international investments.

We have determined our roadmap in the economy with documents such as the 12th Development Plan, the Medium-Term Program (MTP), and the international direct investment strategy. One of the main objectives of the MTP is to achieve economic growth of over 5% annually. We are focusing on digital transformation, green economy, and energy efficiency, and we plan to accelerate investments. The recently announced growth, foreign trade, and inflation data show that the program is working. We have entered a period where inflation is under control. We support the improvement of the investment environment we have achieved in micro economies.

Progress has been made on important issues such as the Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK), renewable energy, and venture capital. Our work on issues that are important for our investors continues at full speed.

Our strategy for international direct investment is designed as a roadmap to bring qualified investments to our country, which we shared on July 29. With this strategy, we want to attract more high-tech investments that support sustainable digital transformation with high added value to our country. By 2028, we will increase our share to 1.5%.

"PARLIAMENT OPENS ON OCTOBER 1"

As of October 1, our new legislative year will begin. With the opening of the Parliament, the climate law will come to the agenda. With this law, we will accelerate the green transformation process in our industry. Work is ongoing to establish an emissions trading system. We will support the transformation of our industry and increase our competitiveness. With this program supported by a budget of 30 billion dollars, we will offer significant opportunities in 8 priority areas of investment. Many sectors will benefit from the program."