Handover Ceremony Held at BTSO

Following the elections at the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO), handover ceremonies were held for the positions of Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of the Assembly. BTSO Chairman of the Board Özer Matlı took over the position from İbrahim Burkay, while Assembly President Erol Dağlıoğlu succeeded Ali Uğur.

Following the elections, handover ceremonies for the positions of Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of the Assembly were held at BTSO’s Main Service Building. Speaking at the ceremony, BTSO Chairman of the Board Özer Matlı stated that they would work to further strengthen the Bursa business community in the new term. BTSO Chairman Özer Matlı said, “Today, following the election period, a new term begins in the presence of our ministers and presidents. As part of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry will continue its processes in accordance with Law No. 5174, which governs the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges. The projects initiated with Mr. İbrahim are projects for the city. These projects will continue. With the new management, the times are changing in the automotive industry and all other sectors in line with the requirements of the new world. We believe that whatever additional initiatives are needed to address the needs of different sectors, we can implement them together. Bursa is a strong city with a rich history, and I believe we can achieve even greater things together. Our main goal is to move Bursa up from its current position among the top four to second or third place.”

“Our Main Goal Is to Raise the Flag We Have Received Even Higher”

Chairman Özer Matlı stated that they would take the responsibility entrusted to them following the elections to a higher level, saying, “I am grateful to and hold deep respect for our entire previous team, our Assembly, our secretariat, and all the leaders who have brought us to this point, starting with Osman Fevzi Efendi. From this moment on, this responsibility rests with us. Our main goal is to raise the flag we have received even higher. We will listen to our members and continue to take their requests into account, as was done in the previous term. We will continue to knock on the doors of our ministers and members of parliament. We will keep working hand in hand for Bursa.”

“BTSO Is a Strong Institution”

İbrahim Burkay, the former BTSO Chairman of the Board, stated that the Chamber, with its 137-year history, had concluded an election conducted in a spirit of democratic celebration. He said, “We are now handing over our responsibilities at this outstanding institution, where we have had the opportunity to serve both Bursa’s economy and Türkiye’s economy for 13 years. During these 13 years, we implemented many projects that truly became role models, particularly for the economies of Bursa and Türkiye. We sincerely hope that these projects will continue unchanged under the new management and that additional initiatives will build on them, allowing us to continue serving both Bursa and Türkiye. BTSO is a strong institution. Bursa is a powerful city that shapes Türkiye’s economy in every field, including manufacturing, trade, and services. Bursa accounts for 8.6% of Türkiye’s economy. Under Chairman Özer’s leadership, the new management will continue serving both Bursa and our country. I once again wish the new term every success. May God grant them the opportunity to carry out valuable work.”

“May the Elections Bring Positive Outcomes for Our Business Community”

Mustafa Varank, Bursa Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye’s Committee on Industry, Trade, Energy, Natural Resources, Information and Technology, also attended the event. Bursa MP Mustafa Varank said, “May the BTSO elections bring positive outcomes for our city and business community. I would like to thank both of our colleagues for the democratic maturity they demonstrated. When I call them colleagues, I do not use the term casually. Both are people we have worked with for years, making efforts together and pursuing a shared path to contribute to this city and Türkiye’s economy. During this term, they took their own teams into the field and engaged in a genuinely democratic contest. They made tremendous efforts, and I thank them for the performance they demonstrated throughout the election process. I sincerely want to emphasize that we do not view this as a contest with winners and losers. It is, in fact, a relay race in which the flag is passed from one team to another. Just as all previous BTSO administrations worked to contribute to this city, the new BTSO administration will continue those efforts and strive to move the flag forward. These institutions were not built overnight. They have continued to develop by building on what came before. Therefore, we hope to carry forward the contributions of every previous administration and build upon their achievements.”

Following the handover ceremony, BTSO Chairman of the Board Özer Matlı presented a plaque and flowers to former Chairman İbrahim Burkay, while Assembly President Erol Dağlıoğlu presented a plaque and flowers to former Assembly President Ali Uğur. Bursa MP Refik Özen, AK Party Bursa Provincial Chairman Davut Gürkan, and BTSO High Advisory Board Member Faik Çelik also attended the event.