WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AND PRODUCE WITH HOPE AND DETERMINATION

In the December regular assembly meeting of the Eskişehir Chamber of Commerce (ETO), President Metin Güler shared the chamber's activities over the past 12 months and emphasized their ongoing commitment to supporting members in 2022, just as they have in the past.

The final assembly meeting of 2021 for the Eskişehir Chamber of Commerce was held, with participation from Assembly President Halil İbrahim Ara. During the meeting, agenda items were discussed and decided upon. In his address, ETO President Metin Güler noted that they had left behind a year overshadowed by the pandemic, emphasizing that ETO worked hard, produced, and added value to the national economy. He highlighted that they had worked tirelessly to eliminate barriers to trade and stressed that ETO is one of the foremost institutions advocating for the rights of its members and voicing their requests and needs.

Trade Shows and Congress Center Operating at Full Capacity Despite the Pandemic

Güler reported that despite the pandemic, the ETO TÜYAP Fair Center hosted three trade fairs, welcoming 233 companies and 118,471 visitors from both domestic and international locations. He also stated that 10,115 people participated in 15 theater performances, shows, meetings, and events held at the Vehbi Koç Congress Center. Güler mentioned that ETO-METSEM, the country's first examination and certification organization in the mining sector, is actively operating nationwide, having conducted exams for over 100 miners in December alone.

ETO Projects Benefit Members and the City

He announced that the award ceremony and fashion show for the Fashion Eskişehir design competition would take place on January 16, highlighting that the Eskişehir E-Commerce Center project would provide a total of 672,000 lira in support to members in the sector with the help of BEBKA. Under the Eskişehir Innovation Software and R&D Cluster project, they secured a support opportunity worth 4 million lira for 19 companies in the software and science sectors. Güler also mentioned that with the support of TOBB Uyum, they established the ETO Alternative Dispute Resolution Center.

Financial Support Provided to Chamber Members Exceeds 102 Million Lira

Emphasizing their efforts to support members during the pandemic, Güler stated that the amount of “breathing loans” provided from the chamber's own resources has reached 67 million lira, bringing the total financial support to ETO members, including the liquidity loans provided, to 102 million lira. He explained that they created a supply chain with public banks to enable members to purchase goods and services without upfront payment and reiterated their commitment to securing new financial support for members. He also reported that they began working on establishing a physical and electronic archive of ETO's 128-year-old documents in 2021, having scanned 50,000 documents so far, which will result in one of the best-equipped archives in Eskişehir and the country.

"We Will Repay Our Debt to Our Ancestors and Future Generations by Working Hard"

Güler noted the significant fluctuations in exchange rates throughout 2021 and acknowledged the rising inflation in the country, similar to trends worldwide. He anticipates that the upcoming year will also be challenging for merchants and industrialists. Nevertheless, he stressed that they would continue to work and produce with hope and determination to repay their debt to both future generations and ancestors. Güler concluded by reaffirming their commitment to supporting members throughout 2022 and extended his wishes for the new year to both members and fellow citizens from the assembly podium.