09.10.2015 Edirne
In his speech at the opening of the Kapıkule TIR Park, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the park is a great necessity for Edirne and that TIR drivers finally have access to a modern automated system.
Built by Customs and Tourism Enterprises Inc. (GTİ), the opening of the
Kapıkule TIR Park, which will provide a modern and safe place to await
processing at the Kapıkule Customs Gate, was attended by TOBB President M.
Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and TOBB Board Members as well as Minister of Health Mehmet
Müezzinoğlu, Customs and Commerce Minister Cenap Aşcı, Edirne Governor Dursun
Ali Şahin, Kırklareli Governor Esengül Civelek, Edirne Mayor Recep Gürkan in
addition to many chamber and exchange presidents.
Emphasizing the importance of Edirne for TOBB, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported
that 5 large investments have been made into Edirne for this reason: The
restoration and preservation of the historical Selimiye Mosque, Kapıkule
Customs Gate modernization, establishment of the Selimiye Foundation, the
construction of a four year faculty in Edirne and lastly, the Kapıkule TIR
Park.
TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the park is a great
necessity for Edirne and that TIR drivers finally have access to a modern
automated system just like their counterparts in Europe. Stating that Kapıkule
is the largest customs gate in Turkey and the second largest in the world,
Hisarcıklıoğlu stressed that the Kapıkule Customs Gate is handling most of
Turkey’s exports.
“We owe the enduring TIR drivers who carry the goods of the companies
who bring prosperity to the country. The long TIR waiting lines at the Kapıkule
Customs Gate were the subject of TV news many times in addition to exacerbating
freight costs.
These lines also caused our TIRs to receive tachograph fines in European
countries, causing distress for drivers, vehicles and the residents of Edirne.
Having to wait three or four days with no access to even sanitary facilities
resulted in unseemly scenes. These are hopefully all behind us now.”
- An end to anachronistic scenes
TOBB President
Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that the TIR Park would cover 93,000 square meters,
able to host 276 TIRs at a time. The park will boast an automation system with
each driver receiving a beeper which will direct them to where they should be
parking their vehicles as well as notifying them how much time they have until
they are passed through the gates. There will also be facilities where drivers
can take care of their sanitary needs, eat and rest. Additionally there will be
repair and maintenance facilities for their vehicles in addition to an
administration section where all necessary paperwork for international trade
can be completed.
Hisarcıklıoğlu
reported that TOBB has invested in 7 customs gates to date (Kapıkule,
Hamzabeyli, İpsala, Habur, Sarp, Nusaybin and Cilvegözü) and that their
investments into the Halkalı Domestic Customs and Çıldır-Aktaş, Dilucu and
Esendere Customs Gates have been completed and will being operations in 2015.
Total of investments
made have reached 725 million TRY with 372 million TRY paid in taxes,
effectively saving the government 1 billion TRY. As a result of the
modernization efforts, industrialists and exporters have saved 410 million TRY.
These modernization efforts have been selected as Best Practice by the United
Nations. They have resulted in moving up 9 places to 30th on the World
Bank Logistical Index, “All of this has been done without taking a single
centime out of the treasury.”
- Other speakers
Customs and Commerce Minister
Cenap Aşcı reported that the Dereköy Customs Gate opened in Kırklareli would
open to TIR passage to Bulgaria soon.
Customs and Tourism Enterprises Inc. (GTİ) Board President Arif
Parmaksız stated that the Kapıkule Customs Gate TIR Parkı has been completed
with the built-operate-transfer model.
Edirne Governor Dursun Ali Şahin reported that many investments have
been made into the city and even more are underway with the contributions of
the Minister of Health, Mehmet Müezzinoğlu.
Edirne Mayor Recep Gürkan stated that the TIR Park at the Kapıkule
Customs Gate was a much needed facility for a long time.
Following the speeches, Ministry of Health Müezzinoğlu, Customs and Commerce Minister Aşcı, Governors Şahin
and Civelek, Edirne Mayor Gürkan and TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu cut the
ribbon to the TIR Park.