The Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ATSO), one of the largest business chambers on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, elected Berkay Bahar as chairman of its board of directors on Friday.
Bahar, who led the so-called blue list, received 78 votes in the vote by the chamber’s newly elected council, local news site Haber Antalya reported. The rival white list headed by İsmail Odabaşı won 27 votes. Of the 121 ballots cast, 16 were blank or invalid.
Blue-list candidates also won the separate ballots for the board of directors, the delegates to the national Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) general assembly and the chamber’s disciplinary board.
A divided race
The vote followed chamber-wide elections on 18 October, when members chose the 124-seat council and the chamber’s professional committees. Four candidates ran for the presidency at that stage, including Davut Çetin of the red list and Hatice Öz, the first woman to stand for the post. According to unofficial results reported by Ekonomi Gazetesi, Bahar’s list took 69 of the 124 council seats.
After Friday’s result, Bahar thanked members and described the contest as a race to serve rather than a fight. He said the responsibility on his team was now heavier and that the chamber would work to bring together those who had fallen out during the campaign. He also said the team would stand behind its promises.
Why it matters
Chambers of commerce in Türkiye are public professional bodies, and membership is compulsory for registered companies. ATSO represents companies across Antalya, a province whose economy relies heavily on tourism, agriculture, construction and real estate. The chamber is a key voice in debates on hotel investment, the building sector and the property market, where foreign buyers play a major role.
Antalya is also preparing to host the COP31 United Nations climate summit in November, with up to 100,000 visitors expected a day. The province welcomed millions of foreign tourists in the first nine months of the year, led by Russia, Germany and Poland.
For readers considering a move or investment, our guide to living in Antalya explains the city’s neighbourhoods, prices and services.
Sources
- ATSO’da Berkay Bahar kazandı! Mavi liste 78 oyla seçimi aldı (Haber Antalya)
- Berkay Bahar, ATSO Yönetim Kurulu Başkanlığına 78 oyla seçildi (İHA / haberler.com)
- ATSO’da zafer Berkay Bahar’ın (Ekonomi Gazetesi)
Photo: Mikhail Blinov / Unsplash License, via Unsplash
