Conservatives win the battle against liberals
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Necdi Dalan - Vatan
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Şubat 26, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Elections held for the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, or ITO, turned into a battle between conservatives and liberals.
As Murat Yalçıntaş won the battle against his opponent Mehmet Yıldırım and grabbed the ITO chairman seat for another term, according to results released Tuesday, another battle was fought over selecting the functional commissions that would represent various businesses in the city. Private banks, Islamic banks, restaurants and alcohol-free restaurants all formed separate alliances and fought in separate listings. The winners of the battle were the two conservative alliances formed by the alcohol-free restaurants and participation banks, which abide by Islam’s financial rules.
The alliance of the alcohol-free restaurants won 418 votes. This alliance included Bingöl Gıda, which is owned by Ramazan Bingöl, former partner of Ziya Şark Sofrası, a well-known restaurant. Bambi Büfe and Hacı Abdullah of Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district were also part of that alliance. An alliance of the alcohol-serving restaurants formed by Çatı Restaurant, Adil Turizm and Eldiven Turizm managed to attain only 256 votes.
Beyoğlu is a major entertainment and shopping district for people of all ages and from all backgrounds in Istanbul. The district is a pedestrian area with a solid mile of shops, cafs, patisseries, restaurants, pubs, wine houses and clubs, as well as some of the city's best bookshops, theatres, cinemas and art galleries.
In 2005 the alliance of the alcohol-serving restaurants, which included a seafood restaurant called Flora and Ulus Sunset, won the elections but this time, both the Whole Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association or TÜMSİAD, and the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey, or TUSKON, provided support for the alcohol-free restaurants. In return Tüzel Turism and Gaziantep-based Çağdaş Gıda were offered a place in the functional commission.
"We did not form separate alliances on purpose," said Abdullah Korun, the owner of Hacı Abdullah restaurant. "What’s important is being able to provide good service. Besides, nearly 70 to 80 alcohol-serving establishments voted for us," he said.
In the election of the functional commission for the banks and finance institutions, public banks and participation banks showed a united front. They formed a list that featured Bileşim Alternatif Dağıtım Kanalları, which is owned 24 percent by Halkbank and 45 percent Ziraat Bank, Halkbank and Albaraka Türk as principle members. The list also included Bank Asya, Kuveyt Türk, Türkiye Finans and Vakıfbank as alternate members. The list of opponents included İşbank Yenicamii branch, Yapı Kredi Bahçekapı branch, Elginkan Holding and Akbank Bahçekapı branch as principle members and Doğu Yatırım Holding, Garanti Bank and E.C.A. Press Dökün Sanayii as alternate members. The alliance of the public banks and participation banks obtained 528 votes, while the alliance of the private banks received 288 votes.
The alliance of the alcohol-free restaurants won 418 votes. This alliance included Bingöl Gıda, which is owned by Ramazan Bingöl, former partner of Ziya Şark Sofrası, a well-known restaurant. Bambi Büfe and Hacı Abdullah of Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district were also part of that alliance. An alliance of the alcohol-serving restaurants formed by Çatı Restaurant, Adil Turizm and Eldiven Turizm managed to attain only 256 votes.
Beyoğlu is a major entertainment and shopping district for people of all ages and from all backgrounds in Istanbul. The district is a pedestrian area with a solid mile of shops, cafs, patisseries, restaurants, pubs, wine houses and clubs, as well as some of the city's best bookshops, theatres, cinemas and art galleries.
In 2005 the alliance of the alcohol-serving restaurants, which included a seafood restaurant called Flora and Ulus Sunset, won the elections but this time, both the Whole Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association or TÜMSİAD, and the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey, or TUSKON, provided support for the alcohol-free restaurants. In return Tüzel Turism and Gaziantep-based Çağdaş Gıda were offered a place in the functional commission.
"We did not form separate alliances on purpose," said Abdullah Korun, the owner of Hacı Abdullah restaurant. "What’s important is being able to provide good service. Besides, nearly 70 to 80 alcohol-serving establishments voted for us," he said.
In the election of the functional commission for the banks and finance institutions, public banks and participation banks showed a united front. They formed a list that featured Bileşim Alternatif Dağıtım Kanalları, which is owned 24 percent by Halkbank and 45 percent Ziraat Bank, Halkbank and Albaraka Türk as principle members. The list also included Bank Asya, Kuveyt Türk, Türkiye Finans and Vakıfbank as alternate members. The list of opponents included İşbank Yenicamii branch, Yapı Kredi Bahçekapı branch, Elginkan Holding and Akbank Bahçekapı branch as principle members and Doğu Yatırım Holding, Garanti Bank and E.C.A. Press Dökün Sanayii as alternate members. The alliance of the public banks and participation banks obtained 528 votes, while the alliance of the private banks received 288 votes.