Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank stated at the Parliamentary Plan and Budget Commission, in the presentation of the Ministry’s 2022 budget, that the global epidemic continues to put serious pressure on the national economies in 2021.
Reminding that while global inflation was rising, commodity and energy prices continued to increase, serious bottlenecks in supply chains and new records were witnessed in global indebtedness, Varank noted that the Eurozone, which shrank by 6.8 percent last year, is struggling with major problems this year as well.
Varank said, “We all know about the 600 percent increase in energy prices in Europe and the supply problems in the fuel market. Inflation rates in Europe and America have reached their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis. Despite this, while developed countries fell short in growth last year, we managed to distinguish ourselves positively from the rest of the world with the steps we took under the leadership of our President.” he said.
Noting that they issued 8 thousand 564 incentive certificates with an investment amount of more than 161 billion liras in 9 months of the year, Varank said that in this period, the number of newly established industrial enterprises increased by more than 20 percent compared to the previous year and reached 12 thousand 161, and that one of every 4 enterprises here was medium-high. and emphasized that it is in the high technology group.
Noting that they will continue to support brave entrepreneurs and innovative ideas in order to launch new Turkish brands that will make a name for themselves in the global market, Varank stated that they will continue the healthy growth trend they have achieved under the leadership of production, export and innovation in the coming period.
“We implement rational and effective policies in many areas”
Stating that fluctuations in commodity markets, rapid increase in energy prices, disruptions in logistics and supply chains are the most problematic areas, Varank continued as follows:
“However, there is no obstacle that we cannot overcome with our strong industrial infrastructure, trained workforce, and our ability to adapt quickly to innovations. We will continue to take steps that will strengthen regional development, accelerate digital and green transformation, and lead us to our dream of a prosperous Turkey. As the Ministry of Industry and Technology, our goal is clear; adding our country To make it a global base in valuable and high-tech production. In order to achieve the goal, we implement rational and effective policies in many areas from planned industrial infrastructure to business and investment environment, from R&D and technology ecosystem to qualified human resources, from SMEs and entrepreneurship to regional development.”
Emphasizing that they have expanded the Technology-Oriented Industry Move Program, which they have implemented in order to produce critical technologies with domestic and national resources, Varank stated that while localizing the inputs in the industry, they have developed the technologies of the future in the focus areas.
“We have determined the need for a city-by-county district charging station”
Reminding that they made new calls in the fields of mobility, structural transformation in production, digitalization, health and chemistry this year, Varank shared the following information:
“Thus, we will enable 919 critical products and technologies, which are the source of the current account deficit of 50 billion dollars, to be produced in our country. Turkey’s Automobile Project, which is the common dream of 85 million people, continues on its way with sure steps. An investment of 2.5 billion liras has been completed so far, this amount is 3 It will reach 5.5 billion liras. As targeted, the first vehicle will be off the mass production line by the end of 2022. We have also made significant progress in the production of batteries, which are the heart of electric vehicles, in Turkey. With TOGG, the world giant FARASIS is close to a 20 GWh battery investment. We are also in talks with other global battery manufacturers. Our work on the charging infrastructure that will support the spread of electric vehicles in our country, especially TOGG, has accelerated. We have published technical standards. We have determined the need for charging stations in provinces and districts. We have designed support mechanisms for this.”
“Safe harbor for international investments”
Giving information about the efforts to improve the investment environment, Varank noted that they are working hard to bring Turkey forward as a safe haven in international investments with comprehensive incentive and support mechanisms.
Reminding that they have risen 10 steps in the Global Innovation Index this year, reaching the highest level in the history of the Republic, the 41st, Varank stated that private sector investments continue thanks to the investment environment they have created.
Explaining that they have issued project-based support decisions for 38 investments in critical areas such as electric vehicles, hybrid engines, batteries, National Combat Aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, solar panel cells and petrochemistry, Varank said that they continue to develop their R&D and innovation capacity. Varank, “Turkey’s R&D and innovation base Informatics Valley, projects continue in many fields from software to design, from autonomous vehicles to information and communication technologies.” used his statements.
Noting that they have accelerated the digital transformation in the industry, Varank underlined that they will carry the country among the top 20 economies in the field of artificial intelligence by making important breakthroughs in human resources, entrepreneurship and infrastructures.
Stating that they also care about international collaborations in the field of digitalization, Varank said that they prepared the human resources for the Reduction of Skills Gap Acceleration Program and the industry for the future with the Industrial IoT and Artificial Intelligence in Production projects, and the participation negotiations in Investment Europe and Digital Europe Programs in order to bring businesses together with new financing tools that will accelerate their digital transformation. reported that they continue.
“Try & Make Workshops operate in 57 provinces”
Stating that they ensure the commercialization of innovative business ideas with infrastructures such as Technoparks, Incubation Centers and TEKMER, Varank continued his words as follows:
“We have implemented the ‘Fund of Funds’ mechanisms by taking the initiative of the Ministry. The leverage effect of the 250 million TL budget, which we will transfer to the funds with the Istanbul Regional Venture Capital Program, will create a fund size of over 1 billion TL. With the Technology-Innovation Fund, 2 venture capital funds and 4 venture capital funds so far. We provided support of 70 million liras. 28 young startups received an investment of 186 million liras from the funds we supported under the Tech-InvesTR Program.”
Stating that qualified human resources, which are the main basis of success, from basic sciences to technology, from R&D to production, have been developed, Varank noted that DENEYAP Technology Workshops, which bring young people together with breakthrough technologies at an early age, operate in 57 provinces.
Explaining that these workshops will be expanded in all 81 provinces by 2023, Varank said, “42 Schools, where completely free new generation software trainings are given with the self-learning method, started to operate in Istanbul and Kocaeli. The world’s largest Aviation, Space and Technology Festival TEKNOFEST. “In its first year, 20 thousand young people applied to the competitions we organized in 14 categories. This year, we received more than 200 thousand applications from 111 countries to the competitions in 36 categories.” used the phrase.
TEKNOFEST in Samsun in 2022
Noting that they will carry TEKNOFEST to the Black Sea next year and hold it in Samsun, where the torch of the national struggle is lit, Varank stated that the first step of the organization to become a global brand will be taken with the “TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan” to be held in this context.
Reminding that 38 thousand students participated in TÜBİTAK Secondary and High School Students Research Project Competitions with nearly 30 thousand projects this year, Mustafa Varank said, “We also organized Science Fairs in 81 provinces, visited by approximately 2 million 700 thousand people. At these fairs, 500 thousand students from more than 5 thousand schools participated. Our student prepared 190 thousand scientific projects.” shared his knowledge.
Turkey won 54 medals in international science olympics
Varank pointed out that the success rate in the science olympiads held in the fields of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and computer science is increasing every year and reminded that Turkey won 5 gold, 19 silver and 30 bronze medals in the international science olympics this year.
Emphasizing that Turkey achieved a historic success in ISEF, the world’s largest science and engineering competition, and won 13 awards, Varank continued as follows:
“A young person from Malatya won the first place in our country for the first time in the European Union Young Scientists Competition. TÜBİTAK Science High School, which will train the future Aziz Sancars and Cahit Arfs, started education with 90 students. This year, 2,300 in 16 different fields in order to direct our youth to basic sciences. We provided a success scholarship to undergraduate students. We provided 23 million TL salary support to companies that employ basic science graduates in Technopark and R&D centers. We offered 1500 undergraduate students the opportunity to gain experience in R&D projects with the TUBITAK Trainee Researcher (STAR) Program. With our second call, we increased this number to 3 thousand. We’ll take it out.”
Stating that they encouraged the training of 1162 doctoral students and their employment in the industry with the Industry Doctorate Program, Varank stated that they started a new Post-Doctoral Research Scholarship Program under the name of Nobel Prize-winning scientist Aziz Sancar, who came to TEKNOFEST with a special invitation.
“The occupancy rate of OIZs exceeded 83 percent”
Underlining that the Organized Industrial Zones (OIZ) application has gained an exemplary corporate structure worldwide as a result of the regulations, Varank said, “As of today, there are 327 OIZs in our country. Since we took office, we have provided loans of approximately 11 billion liras at 2021 prices for the projects in OIZs. “The occupancy rate of our OIZs in production, whose total area is 83 thousand hectares, has exceeded 83 percent. As this rate increases, we anticipate that 300 thousand new jobs will be added to the 2.2 million employment in OIZs.” said.
Noting that they see OIZs as the starting point of green transformation in production, Varank stated that they prepared the “Green OIZ National Framework” based on this and that they obtained 300 million dollars from the World Bank to use it in the construction of the necessary infrastructures for transformation.
Minister Varank explained that besides OIZs, they announced a new model, 24 Industrial Zones, to encourage large-scale industrial investments. He stated that production was carried out in the sector.
“The focus will be on young people gaining new skills”
Stating that in the industrial regions where approximately 25 thousand people are employed, 7.5 billion dollars of exports were made in 2020, Varank gave the following information:
“We have provided 2.4 billion liras of resources for the infrastructure and superstructure constructions of 135 industrial estates completed in the last 19 years. We will complete 5 more industrial estate projects by the end of 2021. We will mobilize the local potential with the help of the Ministry, Development Agencies and Regional Development Administrations, for a balanced spread of welfare across the country. Our 26 Development Agencies mobilized a resource of nearly 19 billion liras by providing 11 billion liras of support to more than 23 thousand projects at current prices.”
Pointing out that the agencies will focus on acquiring new skills and employment of young people who are the dynamo of regional development in the next 2 years, Varank said, “With the Working and Producing Youth Program, which we started with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, we have established 170 factory buildings in 32 provinces and offer them to the service of investors. 600 million lira we will provide here. With the support of more than 60 thousand young people will be employed.” made its assessment.
Noting that they transferred 976 million liras to 132 projects in 14 provinces within the scope of the Attraction Centers Support Program, Varank noted that they ensured the active participation of disadvantaged segments in social and economic life in all 81 provinces with the Social Development Support Program.
