The official opening of Spain's Honorary Consulate for the Marmara Region at the Izmit Dolphin Is Merkezi on Friday proved the continuing strong relations between Turkey and Spain, said Environment and Forestry Minister Osman Pepe, speaking at the opening ceremony.
“I believe that the influence of Turkey and Spain in the European economy will only grow in the future,” said Pepe.
Spain's ambassador to Turkey, Luis Felipe Fernández de la Peña, attended the opening with Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem, who was appointed Spanish Honorary Consul for the Marmara Region in December. Semra Özal, the widow of former Turkish President Turgut Özal, also attended the ceremony.
Minister Pepe pointed to the wisdom of opening an honorary consulate in the Kocaeli region, an area that exported some $30 billion worth of goods last year.
“Spain has long supported Turkey's European Union membership application and this connection between Europe's westernmost country and Turkey, the continent's easternmost nation sends a positive signal to business people,” said Pepe. “This completes the cooperation between the Spanish prime minister and our own prime minister working together for peace.”
Turkey is one of the world's fastest growing economies with per capita earnings of $5,000, gross domestic product of $360 billion, annual growth rates of 7 to 8 percent, showing both dynamic development and strong motivation, he said.
“Both Spain and Turkey share the characteristic of being Mediterranean cultures first, then European,” said Pepe. “I believe the opening of this consulate will further the policies of both countries to move at the forefront of a new Europe.”
Turkey in EU:
Ambassador de la Pena praised Honorary Consul Erdem as a bridge between the two countries, a man of broad experience who understands and connects both political and economic relations.
“Turkey is Spain's sixth largest export market and yet has tremendous growth potential,” he said. “Spain strongly supports Turkey joining the EU, wants to see Turkey in the EU. The close friendship we share today will turn into brotherhood.”
Spanish Honorary Consul Zeynel Abidin Erdem, president of the Turkish-Spanish Business Council for the past 13 years, said Turkey is always ready for Spain as a business partner, investment partner and credit partner, and added that Turkey appreciates the constant support from Spain for Turkey's admission to the EU.
“We are establishing this office as a trade, friendship and cultural center,” said Erdem. “We aim for this to be the primary consultative office for Spanish investors looking for business opportunities in Turkey. All Spanish firms are invited to contact us and I'm sure that we'll see the strongest friendships and business relations established here.”
Ambassador de la Pena presented Honorary Consul Erdem with a plaque at the ceremony.
The new consulate in Izmit is responsible for the Marmara Region covering the key industrial and agricultural areas of Bursa, Kocaeli, Izmit, Sakarya, Bolu, Bilecik and Balıkesir.
Trade between Spain and Turkey has now reached $7 billion, growing from practically nothing in the mid-1980s, said Erdem. “Spain is becoming more and more useful as a business partner day by day. Spanish businessmen want to partner with Turks because we share the same Mediterranean culture.”
Bilateral trade now centers on the automotive, agriculture and defense sectors, with many different kinds of small and medium-sized companies from Spain making contracts all over Turkey, from Gaziantep and Manisa to Bursa and Istanbul.
Dr. Zeynel Abidin Erdem runs Genpa, a leading company in the mobile phone business, and manages work in several other sectors through his diversified Erdem Holding.
1. Maliye Bakanı Kemal UNAKITAN
2. Bolu Valisi Ali SERİNDAĞ
3. Balıkesir İl Emniyet Müdürü Celal UZUNKAYA
4. Kocaeli Milletvekili Muzaffer BAŞTOPÇU
5. Beşiktaş Belediye Başkanı İsmail ÜNAL
6. İspanya Ekonomi ve Ticaret Müsteşarlığı Nilgün Fırat DEMİREL
7. İtalya F.Konsolosu Dr.Oya İZMİRLİ
8. Avukat Aydın ÇOŞAR
9. The Commercial Attache Fernando VIDAL-FOLCH
10. Kaleseramik Yönetim Kurulu Üyesi Tayfun PARPUCU
11. Şevket SABANCI
12. Düzce İl Emniyet Müdürü Saim İŞLEK
13. Gebze Yüksek Teknoloji Enstitüsü Rektörlüğü Prof.Dr.Alinur BÜYÜKAKSOY
14. Balıkesir Ticaret Odası Mahmut YAVUZ
15. Balıkesir Belediye Başkanı Sabri UĞUR
16. Bilecik Belediye Başkanı Selim YAĞCI
17. Balıkesir Valisi Selahattin HATİPOĞLU
18. Balıkesir Sanayi Odası A.Rona YIRCALI
19. Bileck Valiliği Musa ÇOLAK
20. Bolu Valiliği Ali SERİNDAĞ
21. Balıkesir Belediye Başkanı Sabri UĞUR
22. Bursa Ticaret ve Sanayi Odası Celal SÖNMEZ
23. Kırtur Turizm.İnşaat San.Tic.LTD.ŞTİ. Feridun SÜLÜNER
24. Gebze Ticaret Odası İbrahim BAŞARAN
25. Kocaeli İl Emniyet Müdürü Hüseyin NAMAL
26. Bolu Belediye Başkanı Alaaddin YILMAZ
27. Adapazarı Büyükşehir Belediye Başkanı Aziz DURAN
28. Bolu Belediye Başkanı Alaaddin YILMAZ
29. Yolva İl Emniyet Müdürü Ahmet ÇOKGÜLER
30. Balıkesir İl Emniyet Müdürü Celal UZUNKAYA
31. Türkiye Odalar ve Borsalar Birliği M.Rıfat HİSARCIKLIOĞLU
32. İZFAŞ Genel Müdür Doğan İŞLEYEN
33. DEİK Çiğdem TÜZÜN
34. T.O.B.B Yönetim Kurulu Üyesi Tamer TAŞKIN