Long lines at border gates as expats travel to Türkiye for vacation

EDIRNE

The influx of Turkish expats coming to Türkiye for a vacation has led to long queues at the Kapıkule Border Gate in the northwestern province of Edirne.

Police and customs officials have been diligently working to facilitate the smooth entry of thousands of expatriates through the border gate.

Edirne’s police chief Onur Karaburun also visited the gate, conducting inspections and engaging in conversations with vacationers. He advised visitors to adhere to traffic rules and wished them a pleasant holiday in the country.

Vacationers also expressed their feelings about holidaying in Türkiye.

Noting that he came all the way from Germany, Mustafa Turgut said, “We are glad to have come back to our hometown. It has been a tough journey, but we are pleased to be back.”

Another visitor from Belgium, Adalet Bitiş, has indicated that they had a hard time waiting in line at the Serbia, Hungary and Bulgaria gates for 13 hours. “We only endure this to reach our country. We are happy and excited to be here,” she said, adding that she will spend her holiday in the northern province of Giresun.

Abdullah Çalışkan, coming from Germany, has remarked that he felt relieved the moment he saw the Turkish flag at the border gate. “I will visit my relatives in my hometown and then we will go on a holiday in Fethiye [in the western province of Muğla],” he added.

According to data from the Foreign Ministry, the number of Turkish citizens living abroad has reached 7.5 million, with 6.5 million residing in Western Europe as of April 2024.

Additionally, there are 2,427 parliamentarians of Turkish descent in Europe. There are seven Turkish-origin members in the European Parliament, along with two ministers and state secretaries. There are 69 Turkish-origin officials holding positions at the national and federal levels, and 102 at the state and regional levels. Furthermore, 2,245 individuals of Turkish descent serve in local councils.