“WE WILL ONCE AGAIN BEGIN EXPORTS TO FOUR COUNTIRES THROUGH A SINGLE GATE”
Haşimoğlu has stated that generally, things are getting worse in the region and especially in the transportation sector: “We hope that we will once again begin exports to four countries by road through a single gate with more peace and stability in the region.”
Mr. Haşimoğlu, what was the state of your operations in the last term? What is the state of the regional merchants?
I believe you came here before and saw what was going on. You must’ve seen the difference. These roads used to be filled with trucks. If we talked particularly about the problems of the merchants; among all others, this region’s merchants have been affect the most by the terrorism in our country for the last 30 years. Our merchants have been highly affected by especially the trench operations. During the operations in downtown Şırnak, Cizre and Silopi provinces, our people and our citizens have been harmed. The government has constructed new homes for the demolished ones and gave them to the citizens; however, the merchants still haven’t managed to take back what they’ve lost.
Mr. Haşimoğlu, like you said, there is a big difference between the past and the present. This place used to have a constant traffic. What are those transporters who used to work in those days, doing today to earn their livings?
Before the ISIS attacks in Iraq, our country’s exports to Iraq ranked second after Germany. In those days, we had a 12 and a half billion-dollar export potential. Despite all the negative events, we’re still third in exports to Iraq after Germany and England. Currently, there is a 7-billion-dollar export capacity. At a certain point, exports have decreased by 75 percent. However, it has recovered in a short time. Considering the destruction in Iraq’s Mosul and other certain cities, it seems like Mosul will be rebuilt. And they will supply their needs from our country. Of course, in order to ensure that, our country needs to establish good relations with both the Iraqi central government and the Kurdish regional government in Iraq. Unlike how other countries took the market many years ago, we have to take the market this time. When we take this market, both our manufacturers and our exporters will win. As a result, our transporters will win. The more these transporters win, the more our merchants and drivers will win. We hope that our national economy can raise its horizons once again, just as it did without ever being hampered despite all the attacks.
“The Tax in Question Was Only Taken from Made in Turkey Products”
Mr. Haşimoğlu you said: ‘Now, there is a slight change.’ If we were to put it in a chronological timeline, when did that change begin?
Before the reconstruction of Mosul, Kirkuk and Baghdad have demanded a secondary tax from made in Turkey products. The tax in question was only taken from made in Turkey products and not products originating from Iran or other countries. We’ve conveyed this to the relevant authorities. The Deputy Prime Minister of the time came here and held a meeting with the professional organizations and non-governmental organizations at Şırnak Chamber of Trade & Industry. This problem was discussed and solved at that meeting. Of course, after paying two taxes, it has consequently reflected on product prices and affected our export numbers.
“We Will Once Again Begin Exports to Four Countries with Peace and Stability in The Region”
Do you project that exports will increasingly continue after achieving a certain improvement in relations?
Of course, it will give courage to people as relations improve. Just as investors don’t invest in unstable regions, exports also deem it risky when there aren’t any stable relations. For example; in the past, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who used to travel by road, stayed at Silopi before travelling to Saudi Arabia. We also had exports to Kuwait and Jordan. Hopefully, we will once again begin exports to four countries by road through a single gate with more peace and stability in the region.
“Many of Our Companies Have Been Bankrupt”
How would you compare the state of transporters in this region, from past to present?
Currently things are getting worse in the region and especially the transportation sector. Many of our companies have been bankrupt due to both terrorist events and the developments in Iraq. They are forced to take loans from loan sharks to pay off their bank debts. I think that there are only a few companies left that didn’t declare bankruptcy. They purchased 100 vehicles, relying on the trade with Iraq. These 100 vehicles have instalments to pay. But without any business, people try to pay their debts with loans from loan sharks. Still, a lot of companies have declared bankruptcy. With the rise of Dollar and Euro currencies, price of everything, even our drinking water, has sky rocketed. Transportation sector workers are the ones who are forced to live just with water and bread. Generally, all the negative developments still continue. But it is not like it used to be. Until recently, there wasn’t even a single vehicle on this road when the clock hit past six or seven. The shopkeepers used to close their shops 15-20 days per months. But thank God, we haven’t seen such days for the past 3 years.
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