Mayor Eşki meets with tradespeople, sends a message: “We stand with you”

Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki joined the traditional communal meal culture of the 3rd Industrial Estate. Speaking about the economic agenda, Eşki emphasized that the prosperity of tradespeople can only be achieved through a national economy that is self-sufficient and not dependent on foreign resources.

Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki attended the Kuru Fasulye Günü (Bean Day) event, held monthly at the İzmir 3rd Industrial Estate. Sharing the same table with industrial estate tradespeople and employees, Mayor Eşki stressed that preserving centuries-old traditions of the trades is of great importance for social solidarity. Speaking at the event, İzmir 3rd Industrial Estate President Şenol Demirel drew attention to the stagnation caused by rising costs in the automotive sector, difficulties in accessing financing, and declining purchasing power. Mayor Eşki, meanwhile, listened directly to the concerns of tradespeople and emphasized that the local government would always stand by them.

“A fragile economy affects tradespeople the most”

Mayor Ömer Eşki openly stated that he did not share İzmir 3rd Industrial Estate President Şenol Demirel’s optimistic assessment that the economic stagnation would be overcome in the short term. Eşki noted that the current structure of the Turkish economy is highly vulnerable to external factors and that even the slightest global shock is directly reflected as a crisis for local tradespeople. He said:

“Fragile economies are always vulnerable to external factors and are susceptible to being harmed by every negative development. Unfortunately, our country’s economy also has a highly fragile structure. If someone sneezes on the other side of the world, in Argentina, we feel waves of economic crisis here. If a bomb explodes in Iran, our balances are thrown into disarray. If a ship sinks in the Indian Ocean, the exchange rate rises in our country and gasoline prices increase. In such a heavily foreign-dependent and fragile economic system, unfortunately, our tradespeople are always the first to pay the price and are condemned to experience difficulties.”

“The solution: An independent Türkiye that determines its own economic destiny”

Emphasizing that lasting prosperity and job security for tradespeople can only be achieved through fundamental economic transformation, Mayor Eşki argued that the focus should be on structural independence rather than temporary solutions. Stating that Türkiye must rely on its own productive capacity, Eşki continued:

“The only way for our tradespeople to avoid facing these chronic problems over and over again is for us to become a fully independent country capable of standing on its own feet. When Türkiye completely eliminates its dependence on foreign resources and can freely establish its own domestic economic conditions, our tradespeople will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief. I hope that together we will build a fully independent future in which Türkiye can determine its own economic destiny and no longer has to rely on others.”

“Tradespeople should not surrender their future to politics”

Reminding that the greatest role and responsibility in the struggle for economic independence lies with tradespeople themselves, Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki underlined that they should not remain passive. Stating that tradespeople should be active stakeholders in shaping the political and economic future, Eşki concluded with the following call:

“The greatest task and responsibility in this transformation lies on the shoulders of our tradespeople. Rather than entrusting their fate and future to miraculous saviors, our tradespeople should place their trust in economic and political approaches that walk shoulder to shoulder with them and offer realistic solutions to their structural problems. We should shape our future together with political approaches that stand for production and tradespeople, and walk this path alongside them. I have full faith that we will build this bright and independent future together, in solidarity. Enjoy your meal, and I wish you prosperous and fruitful business.”

A sharp diagnosis of the contraction in the automotive sector

The bulletin also included an assessment of the sector by İzmir 3rd Industrial Estate President Şenol Demirel. Demirel stated that the stagnation in the automotive sector—which encompasses a vast ecosystem ranging from vehicle dealerships and repair shops to bodywork businesses and spare-parts suppliers—directly affects all industrial estate tradespeople. He emphasized that reviving the market requires strengthening consumers’ purchasing power, expanding access to affordable financing and credit, and reducing the cost burden on tradespeople, including rent, fuel, and withholding taxes. Despite all the challenges, Demirel stated that industrial estate tradespeople remain determined to continue producing and contributing value to the national economy.