04.09.2007 Business World and Civil Society

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Turkey have been gaining more power and influence in the last five years, especially due to rising economic welfare and democratic standards, said Rızanur Meral, chairman of the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON).

"NGOs are paving the way for a much more efficient and strong government by relieving it of some of its responsibilities," he said. Meral was giving a speech on Saturday on the role of NGOs vis-à-vis business and the state at a meeting sponsored by TUSKON to introduce recent research titled "The Business World and Civil Society" in Kayseri. Emphasizing the effect of civil society institutions in the governance of developed Western countries, Meral said the more powerful NGOs get, the more democratic society will become.

According to a report entitled, "Business World and Civil Society" by the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON), many Turkish businessmen are indifferent to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and yet NGOs are the driving force for democratization in Turkey. TUSKON Chairman Rızanur Meral said that out of 1.2 million businessmen registered at the Union of Turkish Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), only 40,000 were registered members of NGOs. Meral underlined that the general economic outlook of the country was tied to long-term investments, so businessmen should realize their social responsibilities and spend accordingly.
To download this report in Turkish please follow the link below:

Business World and Civil Society