Probing ’Vilnius way’ into the EU
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Evrim Sel
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 23, 2009 00:00
VILNIUS - Visiting Lithuania’s capital Vilnius, members of Turkey’s Young Executives and Businessmen’s Association strengthen links with their counterparts, hoping to raise support for Turkey’s European Union bid. But the country is so badly affected from the global crisis that it is hard to believe Vilnius is selected the ’European Capital of Culture’ this year
With the policy of "a vote is a vote" when it comes to entering the European Union in mind, members of Turkey’s Young Executives and Businessmen’s Association, or GYİAD, last week organized a trip to Vilnius, the capital of recent EU member Lithuania.
Members of GYİAD, led by Chairwoman Pınar Eczacibaşı, met with many decision-makers in the country, aiming to provide a common platform for businesspeople of both countries.
"Lithuania is one step ahead of Turkey.,"Eczacıbaşı said. "Their businesspeople have been through all the things Turkish businesspeople will encounter when Turkey enters the EU."
"We have selected Lithuania as our project partner mainly because neither Turkey nor Lithuania knew much about each other," Kerim Alain Bertrand, the vice chairman of the association, said. "The general focus is on Germany or France. However, if we only contact the countries we already know of, we will miss out on making new friends who can support us on our path to the EU. After all, one vote is one vote."
Lithuanian people’s support for Turkey’s EUbid stands at just 40 percent. "That is only because they don’t know much about you," said Nerijus Aleksiejunas, an EU Department Director at the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry.
"We support Turkey’s accession to the EU" said Danas Arlauskas of the Lithuanian Business Employers’ Confederation. "Unity brings peace and we need a peaceful environment to conduct business."
A visit to Vilnius makes one think that it is EU members who need Turkey more than Turkey needs them. Lithuania, with a population of 3.4 million, has an unemployment rate of 7.9 percent that is projected to jump to 13.5 percent in the first quarter. But the situation provides an opportunity for foreign firms, according to Antanas Miseikis of Lithuania Development Agency. "They have plenty to choose from," he said.
The services-based economy is dependent on Russia for energy. The weight of Russia is expected to increase further as Lithuania is forced by the EU to demolish its only nuclear power plant by the end of the year.
Lithuania has a robust services industry, but it has not been able to escape the global crisis. The nation’s only airline has bankrupted, meaning that those flying to Vilnius have to transfer at Riga, the Latvian capital. "The trouble is, FlyLAL, the national carrier, was also a sponsor of many events. It was an unfortunate decision on behalf of the Lithuanian government not to bail it out," said Oğuz Özge, Turkey's ambassador to Lithuania. The loss of sponsorship is another reason why tourists visiting Vilnius would have a hard time understanding that the city is the current "European Capital of Culture."
"Aleading construction firm also filed for bankruptcy," said Özge. "Now the market is open to everyone. Turkish construction firm Kayı has a few projects here. But there is plenty room for many others."
Another Turkish investor is İbrahim Tekstil, a firm that produces in Turkey and sells in Lithuania. But to many, Turkey is just a tourism destination, as 80,000 Lithuanians chose to visit the beaches of Antalya and Alanya last year.
It is quite easy for foreign businesspeople to enter the market, Miseikis told members of GYİAD. "All an investor has to provide for the government are some legal papers and a minimum capital of 2,300 euros," he said. Lithuania lured in a foreign direct investment of 1 billion euros last year, a remarkable feat.
"We will convey the information we have obtained from our bilateral talks to Turkish businessmen," said Eczacıbaşı.
"We will organize a symposium at Istanbul’s Kadir Has University in June," she continued. "Our Lithuanian friends will come to Istanbul once again and hopefully create an effective platform for businesspeople from both countries to meet each other. We will also launch a joint project with the Vilnius University. We have invited Povilas Gylys, a former foreign minister, to come and lecture students."
Members of GYİAD, led by Chairwoman Pınar Eczacibaşı, met with many decision-makers in the country, aiming to provide a common platform for businesspeople of both countries.
"Lithuania is one step ahead of Turkey.,"Eczacıbaşı said. "Their businesspeople have been through all the things Turkish businesspeople will encounter when Turkey enters the EU."
"We have selected Lithuania as our project partner mainly because neither Turkey nor Lithuania knew much about each other," Kerim Alain Bertrand, the vice chairman of the association, said. "The general focus is on Germany or France. However, if we only contact the countries we already know of, we will miss out on making new friends who can support us on our path to the EU. After all, one vote is one vote."
Lithuanian people’s support for Turkey’s EUbid stands at just 40 percent. "That is only because they don’t know much about you," said Nerijus Aleksiejunas, an EU Department Director at the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry.
"We support Turkey’s accession to the EU" said Danas Arlauskas of the Lithuanian Business Employers’ Confederation. "Unity brings peace and we need a peaceful environment to conduct business."
A visit to Vilnius makes one think that it is EU members who need Turkey more than Turkey needs them. Lithuania, with a population of 3.4 million, has an unemployment rate of 7.9 percent that is projected to jump to 13.5 percent in the first quarter. But the situation provides an opportunity for foreign firms, according to Antanas Miseikis of Lithuania Development Agency. "They have plenty to choose from," he said.
The services-based economy is dependent on Russia for energy. The weight of Russia is expected to increase further as Lithuania is forced by the EU to demolish its only nuclear power plant by the end of the year.
Lithuania has a robust services industry, but it has not been able to escape the global crisis. The nation’s only airline has bankrupted, meaning that those flying to Vilnius have to transfer at Riga, the Latvian capital. "The trouble is, FlyLAL, the national carrier, was also a sponsor of many events. It was an unfortunate decision on behalf of the Lithuanian government not to bail it out," said Oğuz Özge, Turkey's ambassador to Lithuania. The loss of sponsorship is another reason why tourists visiting Vilnius would have a hard time understanding that the city is the current "European Capital of Culture."
"Aleading construction firm also filed for bankruptcy," said Özge. "Now the market is open to everyone. Turkish construction firm Kayı has a few projects here. But there is plenty room for many others."
Another Turkish investor is İbrahim Tekstil, a firm that produces in Turkey and sells in Lithuania. But to many, Turkey is just a tourism destination, as 80,000 Lithuanians chose to visit the beaches of Antalya and Alanya last year.
It is quite easy for foreign businesspeople to enter the market, Miseikis told members of GYİAD. "All an investor has to provide for the government are some legal papers and a minimum capital of 2,300 euros," he said. Lithuania lured in a foreign direct investment of 1 billion euros last year, a remarkable feat.
"We will convey the information we have obtained from our bilateral talks to Turkish businessmen," said Eczacıbaşı.
"We will organize a symposium at Istanbul’s Kadir Has University in June," she continued. "Our Lithuanian friends will come to Istanbul once again and hopefully create an effective platform for businesspeople from both countries to meet each other. We will also launch a joint project with the Vilnius University. We have invited Povilas Gylys, a former foreign minister, to come and lecture students."