Commemorative Meeting and Panels Held in Memory of Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Çolak
Experts discussed economic policies and reforms at an event held in honor of economist Ömer Faruk Çolak, who passed away on October 25, 2025.
A special commemorative meeting and a series of panels were organized by Efil Publishing House and the Economics and Society Journal, both founded by him, in memory of the esteemed economist Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Çolak, who passed away last year.
Commemorative Meeting and Alternative Policies
A commemorative meeting was organized by Efil Publishing House and the Economics and Society Journal in memory of Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Çolak, one of the respected economists who passed away last year.
During the panel, respected economists emphasized that Turkey has entered a period where it must propose alternative policies alongside analysis in economy and politics.
Responsibilities Falling on Economists
Speaking at the opening, Asaf Savaş Akat recalled that through Ömer Faruk Çolak's initiatives, efforts were made to explain economics more directly to the public, students, and young academics.
Prof. Akat drew attention to the importance of proposing economic policies alongside criticism and analyses, stating that the discourse should not be left solely to financial experts.
Deindustrialization and Economic Transformation
Burçhan Sakarya stated that early deindustrialization is debatable for Turkey and noted that the issue to be examined is the nature of the established service sector companies.
Sakarya underlined the views suggesting that a stagnant deindustrialization phenomenon is observed in Turkey rather than an early deindustrialization phenomenon.
Emphasis on R&D Activities and Design
Erkan Erdil stated that although there is a leap in Turkey's research and development activities, it remains weak in terms of translation into practice and design.
Erdil made recommendations for developing a venture capital ecosystem for the public and private sectors and focusing on high value-added products.
Green Transformation and Global Inequalities
Funda Barbaros stated that green transformation is gaining weight in terms of solving the planet's problems and eliminating inequalities in the future.
Barbaros emphasized that climate problems affect poor countries the most and create inequality in terms of living conditions.
Technology Policies and Artificial Intelligence
Ahmet Faruk Aysan stated that the USA implements a conscious protection policy regarding technology and tries to prevent China from becoming dominant in the field of artificial intelligence.
Aysan expressed that artificial intelligence will create a transformation in a wide area and that it is difficult to predict what might happen at this stage.
Constitutional Order and Rule of Law
Expert names came together in the session titled Constitutional Order, Development, and Inequality, chaired by Asaf Savaş Akat.
The speakers emphasized that the rule of law, security, and a fairly functioning legal environment are the most crucial elements for economic development.