Pro-change insiders’ calls shake silent business clubs ahead of referendum

The latest example of such disagreements between the leadership and members at these NGOs was seen at the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO). On Saturday, 133 of ATO's 181 assembly members issued a joint statement and announced their support for the reforms. They also called on all business circles to endorse the kinds of change proposed in the referendum. Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD) and İstanbul Chamber of Industry (İSO), the two biggest business NGOs whose managements have refused to announce their stances on the proposed package of 26 constitutional amendments, are at odds with their own members over the issue, too. The Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) is facing a somewhat similar controversy as its chairman, Rıfat Hisarcıklıoğlu, said following a meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that they are in favor of the changes but will not announce an official stance on the issue. Many leading TÜSİAD, TOBB, and İSO members have criticized the “unusual” silence of their organizations and announced they will endorse the package on Sept. 12.

Speaking to Today's Zaman, former Privatization Administration (ÖİB) Vice President and Sabah daily columnist Süleyman Yaşar said he anticipates significant changes within these silent business NGOs, as their administrations no longer represent their members' choices, but rather make their own political decisions. He heavily criticized the leaders of these organizations for not endorsing Turkey's democratization. “No one can remain indifferent to democracy. You simply have to back it all the time.

Well, if you don’t, then it means you are taking sides with authoritarianism,” he said, adding that it is otherwise impossible for a business owner to be against the kind of changes proposed in the referendum.

Once approved, the reform package will improve democratic representation in the higher judiciary, limit the jurisdiction of military courts solely to disciplinary affairs, open the decisions of the Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) to judicial review and pave the way for the trial of the perpetrators of Turkey’s 1980 coup. The package will also establish an ombudsman’s office, give citizens the right to individually apply to the Constitutional Court and enable affirmative action for women, children and the disabled. If the package receives a green light on Sept. 12, citizens will no longer be barred from traveling abroad without a court order. The main beneficiaries of this change are businessmen, who can currently be denied that right if they have a tax debt, for example.

Taking into account the potential benefits for themselves and the country at large, business circles in Turkey have shown huge support for the proposed amendments. So far, the growing chain of support has been joined by the İstanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO), the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MÜSİAD), the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), Turkish Confederation of Young Businessmen (TÜGİK), the Free Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (HÜRSİAD), the Anatolian Lions Businessmen’s Association (ASKON), the All Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (TÜMSİAD), the Business Life Cooperation Association (İŞHAD) and the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Association (KOBİDER), as well as scores of local business groups.

‘Speaking out on vote national, conscientious responsibility’

The pro-change stance of the overwhelming majority at ATO was announced despite the organization’s leadership. ATO chairman Sinan Aygün and ATO assembly spokesperson Nuri Gürgör said earlier they would not disclose their position on the proposed reform package. Following Saturday’s statement from over two-thirds of ATO’s assembly members, Gürgür said, “It only reflects those members’ personal views.” The pro-change statement was also signed by eight of the ATO executive committee’s 11 members.

“We see this issue as beyond political parties and believe that the arrangements to be made will pave the way for our country to climb to the top level, both in the league of democracy and in the field of economy,” the statement said. The statement also listed some of the more tangible benefits of the package: “Businessmen will no longer be banned from traveling abroad over tax debts. The obstacles to many moves that will bring vigor to the economy, particularly privatizations, will be removed. Thanks to stability, the businesses of tradesmen will prosper.” Speaking on behalf of the members who signed the statement, ATO assembly member Ferhat Ertürk said they felt speaking out on the issue was a “national and conscientious responsibility” and added there are also many members who wanted to sign the statement, but could not because they were outside İstanbul or abroad. The ATO has 125,000 members.

Speaking to Today’s Zaman Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies Alaatin Büyükkaya and Tuğrul Yemişçi drew attention to the loss of control being experienced by the administrations of NGOs that have remained indifferent to the referendum. They both emphasized that the referendum is not a political fight and that everyone should vote on Sept. 12 based on the content of the package independent of all political considerations. Kaya, a member of TÜSİAD, also noted that TÜSİAD’s leadership has not uttered a word of support for the package for ideological reasons, because they see the referendum as a general election. “All businessmen who are not ideologically obsessed will say ‘yes’ to this package,” he stressed.

Yemişçi, former chairman of the İzmir Chamber of Commerce (İZTO), was very critical of business associations that are remaining indifferent to the proposed constitutional amendments. “This referendum is not a political choice, but about Turkey’s future. Neither the government nor the prime minister will change on Sept. 13. It is highly immoral for those organizations that once determined prime ministers in this country not to utter a word about this,” he said.