Frequent visitors from across the border are nowadays flocking to Türkiye’s Edirne to meet not only their daily needs but to gear up for the upcoming winter amid rocketing energy costs and uncertainty over gas supplies after Russia’s cutoff.

Bulgarians usually buy everything from food to clothes when they head to the northwestern city almost daily. Nowadays, they are opting for blankets and duvets, in addition to boots, coats and sweaters, to prepare for the approaching winter months amid the energy crisis due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Balkan country was almost totally reliant on Russian gas before Moscow cut deliveries in August and is now struggling to secure sufficient supplies at affordable prices for households and businesses in the European Union’s poorest member state.

Streets and shopping avenues in Edirne have been packed as arrivals soared after a regulation came into force in late July allowing Bulgarian citizens to enter without a passport.

"Due to the natural gas crisis in Bulgaria, we have done good work in the sales of duvets, blankets and wintery quilt covers," says Türker Tulga, a tradesperson at a local open market in Edirne.

"They are already preparing in case there is a shortage of natural gas ... I may order more blankets and duvets in case current stocks turn out to be insufficient," Tulga told the Ihlas News Agency (IHA).

Türkiye and Bulgaria share friendly and neighborly relations as NATO allies. The Turkish diaspora in Bulgaria also plays an important role in promoting bilateral political and economic relations.

"Edirne is very cheap and quiet. Prices in Bulgaria are two times higher. The goods are very good, mattresses, blankets, pillows and duvet covers, sweatsuits, everything is cheap," said Sami Ahmet, an interpreter from Bulgaria.

"We love it here. We buy everything from here, food, drink, clothing."

Visitors buy everything from staple foods, including cheese, olives and butter, and cleaning supplies to plants and flowers.

"We buy detergent from Edirne, we buy fruit. We came to the market to also buy seedlings for our garden. We bought olives, pear seedlings and flowers. We buy things every time we come," said Yüksel Şerif.

Arrivals start early in the morning due to the vast crowd during the day and local trader Onur Pektaş acts accordingly and sets up his stall early in the day.

"Our business is buoyant due to the shopping of Bulgarians. They usually buy a lot of cheese, butter, cheddar, sweets and clothes," Pektaş says.

He also noted the increasing number of visitors coming to buy in bulk.

"Some buy tins and some buy wholesale. There are some who buy to sell in Bulgaria, in addition to those meeting their household needs."