Truckers protest visa delays at Türkiye-Bulgaria border

EDIRNE

(DHA Photo)

Turkish truck drivers staged a five-hour sit-in near the Kapıkule border crossing in the northwestern province of Edirne on Oct. 21 to protest European visa restrictions, prolonged border delays, poor parking facilities, and rising costs threatening freight transport to Europe.

Speaking on behalf of commercial drivers, Koray Torun highlighted severe shortages of Schengen visa appointments and overly restrictive stay limits, advocating for special passports for truckers with at least five years of qualifying experience.

“Going to Europe is not a holiday for us. We are not tourists,” he said.

According to Torun, delays at the border routinely reach four to five days. He called for strict price audits across local shops, restaurants and parking facilities, and the reinstatement of the appointment-based crossing system implemented in 2021. Extending these calls to the Hamzabeyli crossing, Torun emphasized that gridlock harms surrounding residents and overlooks drivers’ essential contributions during natural disasters.

Demonstrating drivers marched to the entrance of the Customs and Tourism Enterprises (GTİ) truck park, where gendarmerie officers permitted a four-member delegation to meet with Edirne Deputy Governor Şevket Atlı prior to his address to the crowd.

Atlı said the 90-day stay limit within a 180-day period required action by senior officials, adding that he would ask transport federation leaders to pursue the issue with the European Union while local inspections continue.

A transit permit problem affecting about 1,600 trucks was resolved at 2 p.m., Atlı said, expressing hope they could cross within one or two days.

Atlı attributed the severe backlogs to ongoing renovation works at Bulgarian customs, noting that officials have redirected a portion of heavy vehicle traffic to the Hamzabeyli crossing while holding daily consultations with Bulgarian counterparts to expedite border clearance. The protest concluded peacefully at 7 p.m.

Kapıkule links Türkiye with Bulgaria, making border processing a concern for drivers carrying freight to Europe.