Trade Minister Ömer Bolat assessed the economy, exports and support for tradespeople at a meeting with representatives of civil society organizations in Bilecik. Bolat said Bilecik’s exports, which stood at $13 million in 2002, rose to $1.2 billion last year.
Bolat said Bilecik’s tradespeople used 471 million liras in financing with a 50 percent interest discount in 2025, while the financing used in the first seven months of this year reached 278 million liras. He also said that 100 million liras in financing would be provided to Bilecik’s tradespeople through the Credit and Guarantee Cooperatives for Tradespeople and Artisans.
Bolat shares export and financing figures
Bolat said 250 billion liras had been allocated as working capital for industrial enterprises, adding that the total financing used for investment loans had been increased from 500 billion liras to 750 billion liras. The minister said support for goods and services exports had reached 45 billion liras this year.
Bolat said Türkiye’s annual goods and services exports had exceeded $401 billion as of the end of July, adding that exports accounted for approximately one-quarter of national income. He said visits to various countries would continue to help exporters reach new markets.
Bolat said Türkiye’s trade policies focused on protecting domestic production and keeping export channels open, adding that rules in global trade had weakened and the impact of trade wars had increased. The minister said regulations were being introduced under the import regime to counter unfair trade.
Domestic trade regulations
Bolat said economic agreements and foreign trade relations were being conducted with 200 countries, adding that numerous sectors in domestic trade were also subject to regulation. He said new regulations had been introduced in areas including vehicle rental, licensed warehousing, consumer protection and the sale of refurbished products.
Bolat said regulations had also been introduced for the real estate, automotive and jewelry markets, as well as sales from architectural plans, timeshare sales, price menus, price labels and unsafe products. He said the aim was to ensure order and discipline in the markets.
Bolat holds meetings in Bilecik
As part of his Bilecik program, Minister Bolat visited the provincial offices of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), as well as the Bozüyük District Governor’s Office, the Bozüyük Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bilecik Governor’s Office. During his meetings in the province, Bolat met with Governor Faik Oktay Sözer, District Governor Ahmet Naci Helvacı, parliamentarian Halil Eldemir, chamber heads and businesspeople.
Describing Bilecik as an important center for production and logistics, Bolat said the logistics center whose foundation had been laid and whose construction was ongoing would contribute to the provincial economy. At the meeting in the province, Bilecik Governor Faik Oktay Sözer, AK Party Bilecik Parliamentarian Halil Eldemir and the heads of the chambers of commerce and industry also delivered speeches.
General assessments of the economy
Bolat said inflation had fallen from levels of 75-80 percent to 30 percent, adding that the extensive destruction in 11 provinces had been addressed and those cities rebuilt over the past three years. He said goods exports had increased by $25 billion and services exports by $43 billion during the same period.
Bolat said per capita national income had increased sixfold in dollar terms, adding that 12 million people had gained new jobs and employment had risen from 21 million to 32.7 million. He said Türkiye had risen from 21st to 16th place in the national income rankings and was the world’s 11th-largest economy based on purchasing power parity.
