23.07.2023 Edirne
Pazarkule Customs Gate was inaugurated with a ceremony attended by the President of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and Minister of Trade Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat.
At the opening of the
modernized Pazarkule Customs Gate, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that the basic rule of
the economy is that if there is trade, there is money, if there is money, there
is wealth, if there is wealth, there is peace, and that as TOBB, they act with
this vision.
Stating that they
modernized the customs gates with the Build-Operate-Transfer model by realizing
a first in the world with the positive approach of the AK Party government,
Hisarcıklıoğlu underlined that they did not impose any cost on the state while
making the renovations.
Stating that they have
completely renovated 12 customs gates using the most advanced technology to
date, Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “At the gates we have modernized, waiting times have
halved and the volume of crossing has increased exponentially. For all this, as
the Chamber and Commodity Exchange community, we have invested 650 million
dollars. In other words, we saved the state from spending so much money, and
our state earned 340 million dollars more in tax revenue from the income
obtained from these gates. As the Chamber-Exchange community, we have brought 1
billion dollars to the coffers of our state. Not only the state, but also our
private sector and our members benefited from this.
Eighty-five percent of
Türkiye's overland exports pass through modernized gates. Thanks to the new
gates, the waiting times of trucks carrying goods have shortened. Our private
sector saved on freight costs. We have also raised the prestige of our country
with our modern, safe and comfortable facilities, which are the first visible
face of Türkiye. This project, which we have realized with the partnership of
the public and private sectors, has also received great acclaim in the world.
For the first time, a project of Türkiye was selected and cited as the best
example worldwide by the United Nations. They told the whole world that if you
want to make your border crossings faster and safer, do it like Türkiye did. We
have reached the point of exporting our experience and knowledge to the world.
We have started a new initiative together with the Islamic Chamber of Commerce
and Industry. We aimed to modernize the land customs gates in 57 Islamic
countries that are members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. With
this joint venture, which will soon become operational, we will make our name
known in global markets.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu
underlined that with the modernized Pazarkule Customs gate, trade and tourism
will gain momentum and the burden of Kapıkule will decrease.
- Trade Minister Bolat
Trade Minister Ömer
Bolat said that as the Ministry, within the framework of Türkiye's 2023 targets
and the vision of the “Turkish Century”, they determine trade policies, follow
global developments, and work to regulate domestic trade and increase exports.
Bolat reminded that
Türkiye is located on land, air, sea and rail trade corridors connecting
continents on the east-west trade axis, and pointed out that Türkiye's ability
to benefit from this advantageous position depends on increasing the capacity
of ports and transportation infrastructures and facilitating customs procedures
and transit.
Bolat pointed out that
59 percent of Türkiye's exports last year were made by sea, 31 percent by land
and 8 percent by air.
Bolat stated that while
the total number of commercial vehicles entering and exiting at Kapıkule,
Hamzabeyli and İpsala customs gates in 2021 was 1.485 million, this number
reached 1.638 million last year.
Stating that the fast
and safe management of high-volume traffic and the prevention of congestion at
customs gates necessitated the implementation of a new understanding at customs
gates, Bolat underlined that in this direction, in order to provide faster and
safer customs services, taking into account the changing commercial conditions,
investments for the renewal of customs gates continue with the
Build-Operate-Transfer Model as well as budgetary means.
- GTI projects
Arif Parmaksız,
President of TOBB Customs and Tourism Enterprises Co Inc, stated that the
modernization of Pazarkule Customs gate was carried out with a budget of 100
million liras.
Stating that the
modernization of Ardahan Türközü Customs gate has been completed and will be
opened in a short time, Parmaksız said that the modernization of Gürbulak Customs
gate will be completed in 2024.
Parmaksız added that
the project work on the relocation of İstanbul Erenköy Customs Directorate to
Tuzla district has also started.
- About modernization
The modernization works
at the border crossing in Karaağaç neighborhood of the central province of
Edirne, which started in December two years ago, were completed in May this
year.
After the
modernization, the number of platforms at the customs gate was increased from
one entrance and one exit to 6, with 3 entrances and 3 exits. The usage area of
the customs area of 4,000 square meters was expanded to 22,000 square meters.
Pazarkule, which gained
a modern appearance after the renovation works, includes a search hangar,
social facilities, personnel buildings, administrative units in the passenger
building and shops on the ground floor.
There is also an X-Ray
office, mobile X-Ray and dog training center, and a Smuggling and Intelligence
Directorate building at the customs gate.