Minister of Labour and Social Security Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan listened to the problems of the business community at the conference held at our Chamber.

President Alan: “We Want Elazığ to Benefit from the Privileges Granted to Our 10 Provinces Affected by the Earthquake”

Minister of Labour and Social Security Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, who came to our province within the scope of the "Working Life Meetings in the Century of Türkiye" and met with the business community, Chamber presidents and NGOs, listened to the problems of the business community.

The meeting, held at the Conference Hall of the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was attended by Governor of Elazığ Ömer Toraman, AK Party Member of Parliament Prof. Dr. Erol Keleş, Mayor of Elazığ Şahin Şerifoğulları, Rector of Fırat University Prof. Dr. Fahrettin Göktaş, President of the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry İdris Alan, AK Party Provincial Chairman Şerafettin Yıldırım, AK Party Elazığ Provincial Coordinator and MKYK member Mahmut Eminmollaoğlu, Elazığ OSB President Suat Öztürk, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, President of the Vocational Qualifications Authority Prof. Dr. Mustafa Necmi İlhan, SGK Vice President İsmail Ertüzün, İŞKUR General Director Samet Güneş, presidents of Chambers and NGOs operating in our province, representatives of the business community and members of the press.

President Alan: “I Thank Our Minister for Increasing the Number of TYP Participants from 500 to 750”

Thanking Minister Işıkhan for increasing, upon their request, the number of TYP participants employed through İŞKUR in our public and private institutions in our province from 500 to 750, İdris Alan, President of the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that with this decision an additional 250 jobs have been created in our province.

President Alan: “We Are Working for the Goals of the Century of Türkiye”

Beginning his speech by thanking Minister of Labour and Social Security Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan for honouring Elazığ with his visit to receive the problems and requests of the business community, İdris Alan, President of the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that they closely follow the Ministry's work,  and appreciate its important services to our country and to working and business life.

Stating that, as the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, they too are resolutely carrying out their work in line with the principle of “growth through employment, production, exports and current account surplus” frequently emphasized by our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the aim of reaching the goal of the Century of Türkiye and building a Türkiye developed in every field, İdris Alan, President of the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed the following views in his speech:

“In order to achieve this goal,  we continue our work with common wisdom to realize our targets within the scope of our joint action projects with the public and private institutions present in this hall today and with all the dynamics of our city.

In this respect,  we consider this meeting of ours, held with a view to improving and developing investment opportunities  and solving the problems of the trade and industry community, to be very meaningful, valuable and important.

With its inclusion in the 6th Incentive Region as of 2017, a serious investment mobilization was launched in our province. At the same time, a serious increase in production and employment was achieved.”

Alan: “We Expect Elazığ to Also Benefit from the Advantages in the 10 Earthquake Provinces”

Drawing attention to the fact that, following the earthquake in our 11 provinces including Elazığ, the support, loans and grants of various ministries for our investors, as well as the On-the-Job Training programmes, have been a lifeline for our province in order to revive the economies of these provinces, President Alan said: “In addition, with the amendment made to the Regulation on the Implementation of Active Labour Force Services published in the Official Gazette dated 20 January 2024, the requirement to undertake to employ at least thirty percent of participants in courses and programmes to be implemented until 31/12/2024 in the provinces of Adıyaman, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş and Malatya and in the İslahiye and Nurdağı districts of Gaziantep, and likewise the practice of employing at least forty percent of participants in courses and programmes to be implemented until 31/12/2024 in the provinces of Adana, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep Kilis, Osmaniye and Şanlıurfa, has been a very appropriate decision; however, Elazığ has not been included in this scope.

The fact that this practice is applied in the 10 provinces affected by the earthquake but does not cover Elazığ, which was affected by the same earthquake, has created an adverse situation for our province in terms of remedying post-earthquake grievances.

We request from you, our Esteemed Minister, that Elazığ also be included in this scope.

Likewise, the practice of postponing until the end of 2025 the prohibition provisions for businesses in the 10 provinces that became prohibited from course and training programmes before or after 06.02.2023, provided that financial sanctions are reserved, was also welcomed in our 10 provinces; however, Elazığ has not been able to benefit from this practice either.” he said.

President Alan: “Elazığ Must Be Supported for a Possible Tunceli Earthquake”

Stating that they live in a region to which earth science experts have frequently drawn attention these days, President Alan said, “Scientists state that they expect an earthquake of over 7 in the near future on the East Anatolian Fault, and particularly in our neighbouring province of Tunceli, in Yedisu and in Bingöl.

Tunceli is 80 km and one hour away from Elazığ. In a possible earthquake, it is Elazığ that will be the first to come to the aid of this region. In this respect, Elazığ being strong and earthquake-ready both in logistics and in all sectors will mean that possible adversities are resolved in a short time. In this respect, an Elazığ with a strong economy, industry and production means that the adverse effects of earthquakes that may occur in the region are rapidly overcome.” he said.

Alan: “Our Aim Is to Make the Century of Türkiye the Century of Labour, Investment, Production and Employment”

Stating that, as the Elazığ Chamber of Commerce and Industry, their aim is to make the Century of Türkiye  the Century of labour, investment, more production, more employment, growth, development and prosperity, President Alan said, “Our request and expectation from you as the business community is that investors, who are seen as the pioneering and driving force in achieving this goal, be supported, that the way be paved for investments with incentives and exemptions on various matters, and that steps be taken that will breathe life into the economy.”

 President Alan: “We Are Hopeful, Ready and Determined for the Future”

Stating that the steps taken to date by the government and the Ministries to increase production and employment  have given business people hope for the future and made them even more determined, President Alan said, “We know that our State's supporting hand for production and employment is upon us, and we see this by experiencing it ourselves.

With the increase of this support, we as the business community are also ready and determined for production, employment and exports to grow even further.”

Minister Işıkhan: “We Increased the Number of TYP Participants in Elazığ from 500 to 750”

Governor Toraman: “Elazığ Is at an Important Point in Production”

Drawing attention to the fact that Elazığ holds an important position in agriculture, mining and industry, Governor of Elazığ Dr. Ömer Toraman stated that business people are making efforts to increase production capacity and multiply investments.

“We Have Started Land Allocations in the 2nd OSB”

Stating that Elazığ, which quickly healed its wounds after the 2020 earthquake and resumed production activities, supported the other provinces affected by the 6 February 2023 earthquakes in many areas with its production and support in every field and worked with all its might, Governor Toraman  stated that, with our province's inclusion in the 6th Region incentive scope in 2017, they began land allocations in the 2nd OSB in order to meet intensive investment demands.

Stating that, with the approval of President Erdoğan, an area of 107 hectares was declared an Industrial zone on 11 January 2024 and that a small industrial estate will be built in this area, Governor Toraman stated that unemployment rates in Elazığ are below the Türkiye average.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Prof. Işıkhan: “To Date We Have Provided Job Opportunities to 85 Thousand People from Elazığ”

Stating that, from the first day they came to power as the AK Party until today, as a ministry they have contributed with all their units to the working life and development of Elazığ, Minister of Labour and Social Security Vedat Işıkhan stated that since 2002 they have placed nearly 85 thousand citizens in jobs in the private and public sectors in Elazığ through İŞKUR.

Stating that on 6 February 2023 our country faced an indescribable disaster, Minister Işıkhan said the following in his speech.

“The Kahramanmaraş-centred earthquakes we experienced caused destruction and loss of life in 11 of our provinces. Elazığ was also shaken by two major earthquakes recently: the Sivrice earthquake on 24 January 2020 and then the disaster of the century on 6 February 2023 that I mentioned a moment ago. From the first moment of the disaster, all organs of our State fulfilled their duties and continue to do so. In addition, our non-governmental organizations took responsibility without hesitating for a moment. You, the valued representatives of the business community, also did not refrain from making sacrifices for your city. The support given by every individual of our nation was the touchstone in turning the disaster of the century into the unity of the century and the solidarity of the century.”

“Elazığ Is the Fortress of the National Will”

 Stating that Elazığ is a city that is the fortress of the national will, Minister Işıkhan said, “It is a city that, as always, remained loyally committed to its State, its leader and its cause in the Century of Türkiye elections as well. Thank God, we too have not let down the trust you have placed in us. As the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, like all our other institutions, we are striving to do our part for our citizens affected by the disaster of the century under the leadership of our leader, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.”   

“We Tried to Minimize the Negative Effects of the Earthquake”

Emphasizing that they took important measures from the very first moment to remove the negative impact of the earthquake on working life and to solve problems arising in employment processes, Minister Işıkhan used the following expressions: “With our İŞKUR, SGK and Social Security Centre staff, we did not shy away from responsibility in Elazığ, as in our other provinces, in tackling the problems of our citizens and our business community. With the policy we implemented throughout the earthquake region, we raised the employment rate, which had fallen by half after the earthquake, back to its former level. In our provinces where a state of emergency was declared, we increased the working limit in the Community Benefit Programme from 9 to 24 months and abolished the rule preventing participants from benefiting from the programme again. We extended the short-time working allowance period from 3 months to 6 months. Not only since the earthquake, but from the first day we came to power as the AK Party, as a ministry we have contributed with all our units to the working life and development of our city. Since 2002, we have placed nearly 85 thousand of our citizens in jobs in the private and public sectors in Elazığ through İŞKUR. In addition, with our active labour force programmes, we both identify the needs of our labour market and organize courses and programmes so that our citizens gain qualifications and can find jobs more easily. We provide job and vocational counselling services to citizens in need. Within the framework of the Community Benefit Programme (TYP), we contribute to our citizens' adaptation to the labour market and provide temporary income support. In this framework, we are pleased to have enabled over 40 thousand of our brothers and sisters from Elazığ to benefit from TYP in our public institutions and organizations.”

Minister Işıkhan Answered Questions

The "Working Life Meetings in the Century of Türkiye" programme, held under the chairmanship of Minister of Labour and Social Security Prof. Dr. Vedat Işıkhan, ended with answers to the questions of the presidents of Chambers and NGOs and members of the press.