Turkish officials and business leaders hailed the PKK terrorist group's decision to disband as a "historic" opportunity for peace that will improve the investment climate and national development and further help unleash the country's economic potential.
The group announced on Monday it would lay down arms and dissolve itself, which would eventually mark an end to decades of violence that killed thousands in Türkiye and cost billions in counterterrorism efforts.
The decision promises to boost NATO member Türkiye's political and economic stability and revitalize long-stalled potential in the country's eastern and southeastern regions, which have been heavily affected by the PKK attacks.
According to trade and industry representatives, the move could eventually lower risk perceptions and help redirect state spending from security to growth.
"Now is the time for peace, stability and prosperity," said Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek. "Security and stability will be reinforced in Türkiye and our region, and the investment climate will improve even further."
"Through the Terror-Free Türkiye process, our country will now accelerate its development and increase its growth potential by using all its energy and resources, both material and moral, in more productive and effective areas," Şimşek wrote on the social media platform X.
The move is a "historic turning point" that will serve as "an opportunity for Türkiye's economic growth," Ankara Chamber of Commerce Chair Gürsel Baran said.
Baran noted that nearly half a century of public resources had been directed toward counterterrorism and security at the expense of broader development. He stated that "terror has not only caused loss of life but has also slowed Türkiye's economic development and hindered the rise in prosperity."
"Ending terrorism and eliminating a long-standing security threat will improve the investment climate, boost production and employment, and support the economic revival of our Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions."
A secure environment is a fundamental basis for entrepreneurship, investment, tourism, and exports, Baran emphasized. Redirecting national resources toward production, education, innovation, and sustainable development, he said, would help Türkiye claim its rightful place among the league of developed nations in its second century.
Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO) Chair Şekib Avdagiç said Türkiye is about to remove another obstacle to realizing its true economic potential.
Reaching this stage, Avdagiç said, gives the business world confidence that with careful planning, positive outcomes will be achieved in production, trade, employment and exports.
He highlighted that the increase in the trusted investment environment, which both local and foreign investors consider essential, will have a positive impact on the economy.
"Risk perceptions will drop to a minimum, and in the long run, this will serve as an important starting point in expanding our economic gains, particularly in our efforts to become one of the world's top 10 largest economies. We have strong expectations in this regard," he said.
"We also believe that its impact on regional stability will be felt in the short term, accelerating mutual investments with our neighboring countries, especially Iraq, Syria and Iran."
Nonetheless, Avdagiç said national security would always remain a priority, given the nature of the geography Türkiye is located in.
But he also noted that thanks to what he said was the government's resolute strategy in eliminating the threat of terrorist groups, the significant share allocated to defense and internal security will now be redirected toward the development of Türkiye and its region.
"Türkiye is entering a new era, especially in its eastern and southeastern regions, spanning various sectors, from education and healthcare to infrastructure, new business investments, tourism and trade," he noted.
Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye (DEIK) Chair Nail Olpak described the announcement as a "historic threshold," describing Türkiye as being on the brink of a strong future built on a climate of peace, serenity and security.
"We are aware that we stand at a turning point for the bright future of our country," said Olpak.
"The fight against terrorism has come at a significant economic cost, with national resources being heavily expended. We hope that with the 'Terror-Free Türkiye,' one of the key pillars of the economy – expectation management – will foster both a more positively functioning trade climate and a new environment of trust that paves the way for further economic gains," he noted in a statement.
Gürkan Yıldırım, head of the Turkish Young Businessmen Association (TÜGIAD), also said the PKK’s dissolution could mark the beginning of a new important period.
"With the establishment of a secure and stable environment, investment appetite will increase, risk perception will decline, and Türkiye's economic potential will become even more evident," Yıldırım noted.
In particular, he said, new investment opportunities will emerge in the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions, "improving the welfare of local communities and providing overall momentum to the national economy."
"The revival of the tourism sector will also be a key part of these positive developments."
