Bursa economic leadership faces scrutiny amid export decline

Discussions regarding the economic future and leadership of the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO) have intensified. Özer Matlı, a candidate for the BTSO presidency, recently met with the ‘Thinking for Bursa’ working group, including former Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Erdem Saker and Gürkan Kaya. Matlı emphasized a holistic approach to the city's development, stating that BTSO's resources will be mobilized for its 60,000 members to support production, agriculture, culture, and sports.

Simultaneously, the chamber's current leadership is facing scrutiny over Bursa's declining economic share. Reports indicate that Bursa's contribution to Turkey's total exports has dropped from 10% in 2010 to an estimated 6% in 2025. Critics have questioned the role of long-standing BTSO President İbrahim Burkay in this decline, describing the trend as a sign of the city's shrinking economic influence.