Ertürk was referring to an underhanded plan allegedly prepared by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) which was revealed by the Taraf daily on Wednesday. Titled “Balyoz” (Sledgehammer), the plan envisions correcting the economy by printing money, appointing members of the military to banks as managers and taking possession of privatized institutions. Ertürk said these plans are products of an oppressive mentality that opposes freedom. “I am horrified with the plans ideas for the economy,” he said.
Criticizing the silence of the business world about the coup plan, Ertürk said: “I believe businessmen should react directly against such acts, which run contrary to democracy and freedom, without feeling ashamed.” He added that a speech by Ümit Boyner, the recently elected chair of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜSİAD), at the association’s general assembly meeting last week raised hopes that TÜSİAD would show similar reactions from now on.
Drawing attention to the power the business world has, Ertürk said: “We saw the regime envisioned by the coup plotters. It is a closed, controlled, oppressive and a reactionary structure. Businessmen should raise their voice against this. They should speak with more courage. The economy is the most directly affected field by the political regime.”
Ertürk was speaking on Saturday at the 17th General Assembly of the Business Life Cooperation Institution (İŞHAD) in İstanbul. He said engaging in business should not be considered as a solely economic practice but should also include personal and social moral values. İŞHAD was established with the claim to represent such values, he added, stressing that the business world needs wider social consciousness. “Businessmen should stand strong to protect freedom and democracy. Some think business stands separate from politics, democracy and freedom and suggests that businessmen stay outside these fields.
However, this is a huge fallacy and luckily people have started to abandon this belief in recent times.”
Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) head Rızanur Meral, also speaking at the meeting, said Turkey is a country that is taken as a role model. He called on businessmen to benefit from this situation. “Turkey’s image has been improving; Turkish products have become more prestigious around the world. We should take advantage of this wind very well,” he said.
