22.01.2026 16:41
In a statement at the General Assembly of the Confederation of Entrepreneurial Business People, President Erdoğan said, "The impact of the steps we have taken will be felt more in the kitchen, the market, and rent. Our citizens will feel the decrease in the cost of living more in their daily lives. Hopefully, they will be a bit more at ease."
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made statements at the 7th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Turkish Confederation of Entrepreneurial Business People.
"OUR CITIZENS WILL FEEL A BIT MORE RELAXED"
Especially giving positive messages regarding the economy, Erdoğan stated, "We see that we are getting good results regarding inflation and the cost of living, which were once our biggest headaches. We closed the year 2025 with an inflation rate of 30.9%. God willing, we will achieve much lower rates this year. We are managing the fight against inflation not with a single tool, but with comprehensive policy steps that are compatible and complementary to each other. The effects of the steps we take will be reflected more in the kitchen, the market, and rent. Our citizens will feel the decrease in the cost of living more in their daily lives. God willing, they will feel a bit more relaxed," he said.
Highlights from Erdoğan's statements;
"Valuable guests, dear friends; Master Necip Fazıl envisioned a future order in an article he wrote in the 1940s: An order that would force this nation, which has been incapable of even making a safety pin for a century, to make its own radio, car, tractor, and sewing machine. An order that would say, even if you make these from tin, make them yourself. Yes, this was the dream of our intellectuals for many years. Not only our thinkers and artists but also our politicians and administrators dreamed of such a Turkey. A Turkey that makes and produces even if it is just a safety pin, even if it is from tin. A Turkey that does not accept the roles assigned to it in the economy, but rather challenges them. A strong Turkey that cuts its own umbilical cord in industry, trade, and defense.
Within the difficulties of the single-party era, we have succeeded in turning this vision, which was penned down, into reality today, thank God. With the help of our Lord, the support of our nation, and the commendable efforts of our business world, we have elevated Turkey in every field over the last quarter-century. We have broken glass ceilings. We have demolished walls of discord. Together with our nation, we have overcome all the obstacles placed in front of us.
ADVANCEMENTS IN DEFENSE INDUSTRY AND TRADE
In every field, thank God, we are in a significant leap. We are confidently moving, even running, towards a Turkey that goes beyond the ideals expressed by Master Necip Fazıl eighty years ago. We are achieving this not through the grace of some, but despite the obstacles placed in front of us and the restrictions targeting our economy and industry. My dear brothers, the esteemed TİM community. While proudly, happily, and with great satisfaction stating these, I want it to be known that we are not engaging in empty rhetoric here. Selling dreams and dazzling eyes is an attitude that has no place in our politics. We do not need this anyway. Because throughout our governments, which we have completed with honor and dignity for twenty-three years, we have always spoken through our works, our actions, and our projects.
ECONOMIC GROWTH FIGURES
The figures are clear. It is evident where the country has come from and where it is now in twenty-three years. Concrete successes, achievements that were unimaginable twenty-three years ago, are evident. Just by looking at these figures, we can see the picture very clearly. Despite all the slanders and campaigns, our economy grew by 3.7% in the third quarter of last year. In a period where uncertainties in the global economy have increased, trade wars conducted through customs tariffs have escalated, and tensions have prevailed in our immediate surroundings and the world, we have managed to grow uninterrupted for twenty-one consecutive quarters. With this rate, Turkey became the third fastest-growing economy among OECD countries. In the third quarter of 2025, we set a new record by raising our economy to a level of 1 trillion 538 billion dollars.
"WE BROKE THE RECORD OF REPUBLIC HISTORY"
Last year, we broke the record of the Republic's history with a total merchandise export of 273.4 billion dollars. In the same period, our service exports exceeded 123.1 billion dollars. We reached a total merchandise and service export of 396.5 billion dollars in 2025. We made a revolution in defense and aviation exports. We increased our defense exports, which were only 248 million dollars in 2002, to 10 billion 554 million dollars in 2025, raising it forty-fold.
EMPLOYMENT AND YOUTH PROGRAMS
Not only in growth and export figures but also in employment, thank God, we are in a very good place. Our unemployment rate has been in single digits for thirty-one months. The primary expectation of our industrialists, producers, and our agriculture, tourism, and service sectors from us right now is to meet the need for qualified personnel. With the Youth Production Age program we announced in recent weeks, we are making an important breakthrough here. In this program, which we named POWER, we will, God willing, bridge the gap between the education and employment process and directly include three million of our youth in working life within three years. We will provide new supports that will also relieve our private sector in areas such as salary and insurance premiums.
SUPPORT PACKAGES FOR PRODUCERS AND EXPORTERS
Our principle is this, my dear brothers. We are always on the side of those who produce, provide employment, and export. Whoever adds value to Turkey and contributes to the Turkish economy has the full support of our government. Indeed, we have increased the size of the Investment Guaranteed Advance Credit program to 500 billion lira. We have launched the HIT-30 program for those aiming for high-tech production. We raised the daily rediscount credit limit for our exporters to 4.5 billion lira. We provided our exporters with over 1 trillion lira in rediscount credits in 2025. We have implemented Treasury-backed guarantee packages for our SMEs.
"THE DECREASE IN THE COST OF LIVING WILL BE FELT MORE"
We have increased our minimum wage support to 1270 lira. We raised the monthly support we provide to SMEs that maintain their employment from 2500 lira to 3500 lira per employee. We have included our large-scale firms in this program as well. We will provide our exporters with 45 billion lira in grant support this year. We have provided the necessary support to everyone without excluding anyone, without making any distinctions among the stakeholders of the economy. We see that we are getting good results regarding inflation and the cost of living, which were once our biggest headaches. We closed the year 2025 with an inflation rate of 30.9%. God willing, we will achieve much lower rates this year. We are managing the fight against inflation not with a single tool, but with comprehensive policy steps that are compatible and complementary to each other. The effects of the steps we take will be reflected more in the kitchen, the market, and rent. Our citizens will feel the decrease in the cost of living more in their daily lives. God willing, they will feel a bit more relaxed.
"WE HANDED OVER MORE THAN 455 THOUSAND HOUSES TO THEIR OWNERS"
Again, our greatest success in this process is the construction of earthquake housing. We disappointed those who said you cannot do it. Thank God, we have drawn lots for and delivered the keys of more than 455 thousand houses to their rightful owners.
Thus, we experienced the happiness of keeping another promise we made to our nation.
"TURKEY WILL EMERGE WITH ITS HEAD HELD HIGH"
Dear friends, I want to convey this message to all our business community through you. Do not fall into despair or anxiety when looking at the events happening in our region and the world. The increasing trade wars, rising uncertainties, and crises that erupt every day should not lead you to hopelessness. Especially, do not listen to the interventionist economists who have been waiting for years for Turkey to fall into crisis, chaos, and economic difficulties like waiting for Godot. With God's permission, Turkey will overcome this challenging process with its head held high. In fact, Turkey will be among the countries that benefit the most from this process. In the reshaped world order, one of the poles will hopefully be our Turkey.
"THE WORLD HAS COME TO WHAT WE SAID"
Turkey is entering a different period where we will reap the rewards of our sacrifices, efforts, and standing on the right side of history and conscience, as seen in our neighbor Syria. Just as those who criticized us for 13.5 years and attacked us for being hosts to refugees now agree with us, rest assured that the same will happen in other areas tomorrow. Those who criticize us mercilessly today simply because they do not understand will have to acknowledge our rights with great embarrassment tomorrow. The value of the multidimensional struggle we have undertaken for our country, our nation, and our youth will be better understood and seen more clearly in the future. Gradually, the world is coming to what we say. The validity of our criticisms regarding global politics, which we have made for years, is becoming evident today. I believe you are also following the discussions held in Davos. Those who have not stopped criticizing us for years for courageously shouting the truths are now using the same phrases as us, talking about global injustices and the distortions of the global system.
"TURKEY'S PATH AND FATE ARE CLEAR"
I repeat. Some may try to spread hopelessness. The doomsayers may paint pessimistic pictures as they have done for 23 years. We will not pay attention to any of this. We will not give credence to the dark scenarios that economic provocateurs market as forecasts. All my brothers here should be assured of this. Turkey's path and fate are, thank God, clear. New doors will open before us. New opportunities will arise. Possibilities beyond our predictions will emerge. Our journey towards the Century of Turkey will hopefully accelerate even more. We are on a brand new journey where our epics will be recited by heart, our victory anthems will resonate around the world, and our successes will be discussed by both friends and foes, ultimately leading to a great and powerful Turkey. Hopefully, we will take this path together with you, just as we have for the last 23 years. We will once again reach many goals that seem like dreams today, together. We believe in this wholeheartedly, and we trust our business community and our esteemed nation. I say may God be our helper and supporter. With these thoughts, I wish that the 7th Extraordinary General Assembly of TÜGİK will once again be a blessing for our country, our nation, and our business community. I would like to once again express my gratitude to my brother Erkan Güral and his team for their services so far. I wish the friends who will take over the duty and the new administration great success from God. I greet you once again with respect and love. Thank you, be well, and may God protect you. Stay healthy.