Turkish businesses back National Solidarity Campaign

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish firms and business bodies announce support for the country's National Solidarity Campaign, which was launched by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to aid fight against the novel coronavirus on Monday.

After the campaign, Turkish business bodies such as the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM), Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) and Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD) made donations.

Late Wednesday, Fahrettin Altun, the country's communications director, said the campaign received 552.5 million Turkish liras ($82.5 million) so far.

Ministers, deputies, governors, sports clubs, enterprises, holdings, business people and financial institutions announced their support to the campaign.

The TIM donated 15 million liras ($2.24 million), Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) 10 million ($1.5 million), and DEIK 10 million ($1.5 million) for the campaign.

Nail Olpak, the head of the DEIK, said: "We should protect the health and vitality of our business life under today's conditions."

Ankara and Istanbul chambers of commerce donated 15 million Turkish liras ($2.24 million) in total for the campaign.

Turkish holdings Ronesans and Tosyali donated 8 million Turkish liras ($1.2 million), and 5 million Turkish liras ($750,000), respectively.

Ronesans Holding said it suspended taking rental payments from 1,850 shops in the holding's malls in seven provinces.

Fuat Tosyali, the head of Tosyali Holding, which also made food donations, said: "We will work hard to make this campaign grow."

Tosyali Holding also announced that it will create new employments in this process, instead of reducing the number of personnel.

Another Turkish conglomerate, Yildiz Holding, announced that it donated medical devices and food to support the fight against the virus.

Several Turkish lenders also announced supports, including QNB Finansbank (10 million Turkish liras or $1.5 million), state lender Halkbank (56 million Turkish liras or $8.4 million), and participation bank Kuveyt Turk (20 million Turkish liras or $3 million).

Turkey's Savings Deposit Insurance Fund donated 20 million Turkish liras ($3 million) for the campaign.

Unions also joined the campaign: the Turkish Confederation of Employer Associations granted 20 million Turkish liras ($3 million), while the Confederation of Public Servants Trade Unions and Hak-Is Trade Unions Federations donated 1 million Turkish ($150,000) liras each.

Turkey's Credit Guarantee Fund and Borsa Istanbul also announced 1 million Turkish liras and 5 million Turkish liras ($750,000) supports for the campaign, respectively.

The country's defense sector granted 10 million to the campaign ($1.5 million), Ismail Demir, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries, announced.

The virus infected 15,679 people in Turkey and caused 277 deaths so far.

After surfacing in Wuhan, China last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 180 countries and regions.

The global death toll from COVID-19 has surpassed 48,300, with over 952,000 cases confirmed worldwide, according to U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University. Over 202,500 have recovered from the infection so far.