general geopolitical data as for base for business in turkey

1. Democracy in Turkey
13/11/2014

2. Ottoman Empire

3. Turkish Republic 1923

5. Turkey is governed since 10 years by a
conservative religious government with a
turning to a dictator leader

6. 1) Rights of the person
Honor killings
Life, liberty and security of the people are partially assured . But:
- The governement and social organizations are still fighting against “ tore cinayeti” ie
morder in the family of wife’s and young girls under the pretext that they have behaved
wrongly and blessed the family honor.

7. 1) Rights of the person
Systematical islamization of the country
Freedom of religious teaching and practice in pubic is very much present. The question is
whether the freedom of non practicing muslim’s life styles are assured in this system.
The systematical islamization of the country bears many examples: After in bureaucracy,
universities and parliament, now girls can also go to the high school covered .At any of the
government related institution let be museums restaurants official dinners, alcohol is not served
already since many years.

8. TURKEY- COUNTRY OF CONTRADICTIONS
Vehbi Koc Derby
70 million headscarves sold each year, 1million dollar market size

9. WHAT WE CALL HIGH SOCIETY

10. WHAT WE CALL HIGH SOCIETY

11. 1) Rights of the person
Control on internet
Freedom of thought is still a topic because Turkey has witnessed in the past and present
many writers, thinkers and scholars going to jail because of their thoughts.
A current issue was the law proposal of the government on controlling the internet and
website contents is overruled by the constitutional court recently in October
The government is trying to control more and more the private life of individuals: newly
installed control on cesarian births or the president obsession of imposing 3 children to
each each family are some examples.

12. 1) Rights of the person
Ownership of property of foreigners is allowed since 2003. However the
major part of the land in Turkey is owned by the state and state /ottoman
foundations. Turkey is the 55th country out of 182 in the ranking of how easy
is to establish a business in a country.

13. 2)Rights associated with rule of law
400 military in jail
arbitrary arrest is a common practice. Because of the operations ‘ ergenekon” , “balyoz” and
alike, there are still 400 military ( out of which 36 generals) in Turkish jails , without proven
accusations.

14. 3) Political rights
The Turkish government has scored very badly during last year’s Gezi Park
demonstrations starting in Istanbul in May 2013 and spreading to all over Turkey (79
cities out of 81) during 1 month. Among 2,5 million participants 4900 have been
arrested and 4000 people were injured.

15. Occupy Gezi

16. 3) Political rights
There are some left wing, Kurdish nationalist and religious parties banned through
extraordinary courts or the Constitutional Court in Turkey.
To be presented in the Parliement there is a 10% national vote threshold barrier still
in the elections law. Currently there are 5 parties represented in the parliament vs 34
parties outside the parliament.

17. 4) Economic and social rights
There are around 10 million people ( out of 77 million population ) who live under the poverty
standards in Turkey but overall the average GDP per capita has increase from 703 dollars in
1970 to 10653 dollars in 2012 and 15578 dollars in 2013 on PPP base.

18. WHAT IS TRENDY IN ISTANBUL- KANYON

19. WHAT IS TRENDY IN ISTANBUL- ISTINYEPARK

20. 4) Economic and social rights
Social Security: Turkey has introduced in 2012 the obligation of a general health insurance for
everybody who lives in Turkey( which will take into account 1,7 million not insured) this also
allows those who cannot afford to pay any health insurance, benefit from the health services.
Trade unions: bureactrats and those who work in publich services don’t have the right of strike
and they cannot unionize.
Free elementary education is assured. Especially now with the religious schools ( Imam Hatip
Okullari)

21. 5)Self determination and protection of
minority cultures
Tthere are 15 million kurds in Turkey and they are not considered
minority. However Turkey is fighting an inner war since more than 10
years in the south eastern part of the country. Kurds have their rights to
use their language and protect their culture however the school
system doesn’t allow them to studying Kurdish in Turkey.
The developments in the region towards creating a Kurdish state
between Syria, Irak and Turkey is a major problem where the Turkish
government insists on the integrity of the borders drawn in 1923 with
the creation of the Turkish Republic.

22. Development and democracy
Knowing that the democracy is not necessarily profilactic for business
development, China and Turkey have performed their biggest economic growth
under liberal economy- authoritarian systems.
The economies which will dominate the world in 2050 are :1° China, 2° US, 3° India
4° Japan 5° Germany and Turkey ranking no 12 with a 2,2 trillion dollar economy at
par with Italy according to the projections of HSBC.