What is this
Merkez Türkiye Project?
Merkez Türkiye is one of the most important proposals of Republican People’s Party, which has been introduced by our Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on 21 May 2015, during Turkey’s Economical Prosperity Project meeting. Merkez Türkiye is a project more than just significant since it is going to be making use of some of the most strategic and important features of Turkey as a country simultaneously.
As you would remember, when our Leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu started the election campaign on 19 April 2015, he emphasized a “4 Step Election Strategy” in order to create “A Livable Turkey.”
Let’s begin with remembering what these four steps were before we start talking about Merkez Türkiye Project;
- To restore the supremacy of law, empower the questionability of the government structure as well with enabling the transparency on a governmental basis. As you know, all of these have been almost non-existent in the last 13 years. In other words, the first step is to strengthen participatory democracy, supremacy of law and state’s transparency and questionability.
- Drafting projects empowering Turkey’s international competition capacity and put these in practice as soon as possible. (Keep this one in mind because we are going to be mentioning this one very soon.)
- To make sure every individual living in Turkey benefits equally from the economical reflections of the aforementioned projects. Meanly, to create an atmosphere in which we produce together and share what we gain equally.
- To guarantee the sustainability of these three points and their supporting ideas because of the belief that they can meet the expectations only if they are kept sustainable.
Do you remember the part where we said, “Keep this one in mind?” Good. Because now we are getting back there.
Merkez Türkiye is a project that is going to give Turkey the power needed for the international market while increasing the investments made and offer young people qualified employment opportunities and provide productivity in the economy.
Shall we explain it more briefly?
Yes, let’s do that.
Merkez Türkiye is Project, which is based on building a new city within the boundaries of Turkish Republic that is going to take its power from Turkey’s exquisite geography and young population. Merkez Türkiye is going to bring substantial amount of benefits since it will increase the prosperity and peace with its economical scope.
After talking about what Merkez Türkiye is, we would like to answer the questions, which are likely to come up.
Here we go;
Are there other examples similar to Merkez Türkiye in the world?
Yes, there are. The first one is Integration of the Regional Infrastructure of South America. The second one is Kunming–Singapore Railway Project that aims to connect all the railways in Asian Peninsula. The third one is the Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Route.
Okay, but Why Merkez Türkiye?
Because Republican People’s Party knows that it is possible to maximize the benefits of Turkey’s exquisite geographical location, which was valued very well in the past but now long forgotten except a few coincidences (Guess what these coincidences are.) There are both economical and social goals aimed with Merkez Türkiye; a project which is going to qualify the strategic geographical location of Turkey.
What are those goals?
Let us ask you a question first.
How many countries do you think can be reached within only 4.5 hours flight from Turkey?
10? 23? 39?
58, to be precise.
What does this mean?
This means there is a market only 4.5 hours away from Turkey that is worth 21,6 trillion dollars and a population of 1,5 billion.
Since we are located this close to such a market, Republican People’s Party aims to turn Turkey into a global port by using railways, airways, maritime lines and roads.
Let’s explain this with an example;
Goods loaded on ships from Baltimore Port, America will reach Mersin or İskenderun Port. From there, these will be transported to Merkez Türkiye, stored and packed here and then will be transported to Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iraq via Turkey directly.
Here comes one other;
Sanliurfa’s cotton, Erzurum’s black amber, Bursa’s otomobiles, Mersin’s banana will be exported to Baku, Tashkent, Baghdad, Tebriz, Sham, Beijing by using the facilities and opportunities in Merkez Türkiye.
What is the situation in imports and exports in the frame of time and performance scheme now?
Today it takes approximately 55 days for a load of good to reach Baku from Shanghai Port. It will be possible to store this in Merkez Türkiye and from here, it can be transported to Baku by railroad in approximately 15 hours. Meanly, the buyer in Baku will be able to order the good only 15 hours in prior to delivery instead of ordering it 2 months before from the city, which is going to be built within the Merkez Türkiye. This kind of a system will also drop the transportation costs and will be a win win for both importers and exporters.
Another goal aimed with Merkez Türkiye is to process the loads and goods in Turkey, create added value and then re-export. By 2035, Merkez Türkiye will be creating added value that is worth 100 billion dollars.
Is that all?
Of course not.
Connecting the area which is referred as the Afro-Eurosia that consists of Middle East, Caucasisa and Central Asia by using trade roads is another goal aimed within the frame of Merkez Türkiye Project. In addition, the transportation network, which is going to be built and expanded continuously, will make the region even more accessible to United States of America and Europe, too. When these come together, Merkez Türkiye will turn into a significant trade center.
So, Merkez Türkiye is only a global center focusing on logistics?
No. Republican People’s Party is going to start Merkez Türkiye Project in the second year of their ruling and in 2020, there will be active work in the region. When it is completed in 2035, Merkez Türkiye is going to provide employment to 1.633.000 people directly. This number will be 2.200.000 when the extended area of Merkez Türkiye is taken into consideration. In Merkez Türkiye, income per capita is going to be 33.323 dollars and an export that is worth 65 billion dollars will be made.
What about funding?
We knew this was coming.
Of course, the funding.
The investment will be made in Merkez Türkiye is 200 billion dollars. 40 billion of the total 200 is going to be provided by the state for the infrastructure. State funding will be a retainer. 70% of this investment is planned to be completed by the year 2023. For the superstructure, national and international investors will supply 160 billion dollars. Meanly, Merkez Türkiye is going to be built in the frame of Public — Private Collaboration Model. International funding sources, such as European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Asian Development Bank will also be used.
How about the prospect benefits?
The anticipated year for Merkez Türkiye Project to be completed is 2035. In 2035, Turkey’s domestic income will be 2.7 trillion dollars. 5.5% of this 2.7 trillion dollars will be provided from Merkez Türkiye Project, which is going to be implemented during Republican People’s Party’s ruling.
Which employment fields will become prominent in Merkez Türkiye?
During the construction of Merkez Türkiye, the major importance will be given to its being a place suitable for all types of production. The work fields that are expected to become prominent are;
- packaging
- reprocessing
- heat-controlled storing and distribution
- good installation and labelling
- construction equipment’s production and distribution
- standardization
- surveillance and certification
- fair organising
- spare part distribution
- agricultural food processing
- grain storing
- logistics-supported sub-industries
- insurance
- technology
In addition, world’s leading logistics, finance, light manufacturing and automotive brands as well with logistics supporting sub- industry and product markets will be in this center.
Are there going to be differences of Merkez Türkiye from the other cities in Turkey?
Yes. The new city that is to be built in the frame of Merkez Türkiye Project is going to have system that ensures trust to foreign investor. The new city will also have special rules and regulations. The governor will be assigned by the state and governor’s main task is going to be keeping bureaucracy as low as possible and encouraging trade.
What about the environment of the area?
The main power types that will be used in Merkez Türkiye are sun and wind. When it is completed in 2035, it will be the city supporting recycling the most and that has got the biggest green area in that region.
Is it going to be a city that is focused only on production?
No. It is expected that the city will have a population around 3 million people. In the universities to be founded in the city, not only Turkish but also Azeri, Georgian, Iranian, Iraqi, Turkmen, Kazakh and Uzbek students are going to study.
In addition to all these, a lot of effort will be put in turning Merkez Türkiye into a cultural and arts hub too, since it is going to be a place where roads meet. The young population of Merkez Türkiye will be taken into consideration and with projects boosting arts and culture; this new city will turn into a center of attraction.
We would like to remind you that it was Republican People’s Party that started building a city, Ankara, 92 years ago, in the middle of a steppe in Anatolia. After 92 years, today, it is again Republican People’s Party that is going to build a global trade-logistics center and living area in a different corner of Anatolia.
Merkez Türkiye is Turkey’s Economical Prosperity Project, which is going to be the fourth example of its kind in the world. We believe we can also add connecting cultures as well as roads to all the economical and social benefits we have aforementioned. Merkez Türkiye is a realistic and trustworthy project, which is going to be the most affective way of putting Turkey’s logistic performance power that is also proven by World Bank’s Report.
Don’t forget.
There are only 15 days left for us to wake up in A Livable Turkey, which is 8 June 2015.
We are going to build a Turkey to live in all together.
