The number of Turkish expatriates aiming to spend their summer vacations and celebrate Qurban Bayram, also known as Eid al-Adha, in their native homeland has begun to rise before the holiday starts next week, particularly at the border gates in Edirne.
The northwestern Turkish province bordering Bulgaria and Greece witnessed a particular influx of expatriates, also known as "gurbetçi," residing across Western Europe days ahead of the anticipated spiritual holiday among the Muslim community.
According to local media reports, the Turkish diaspora eager to reunite with their families and hometowns during their annual leave continues to enter the country via land through the Edirne Kapıkule Border Gate.
Aysel Yaman, an expatriate residing in Vienna, expressed her delight at being in Türkiye, stating that seeing the Turkish flag upon entering Kapıkule made them feel a sense of belonging.
"We are very happy when we see our Turkish flag and the welcome to Türkiye sign," Yaman said to Ihlas News Agency (IHA).
Nihat Yaman, another expatriate, shared his immense joy upon seeing the Turkish flag and the welcome sign, revealing his plans to spend the Bayram with his family in Bolu.
"When we see our Turkish flag and the 'Welcome to Türkiye' sign, we feel an indescribable excitement. Breathing the air in Turkish land is even extraordinary," Yaman noted.
Abdullah Gülle, another one of the citizens, conveyed the longing they experienced while living abroad, noting that the excitement of catching a glimpse of the Turkish flag on the border is a feeling only those who reside abroad can truly comprehend.
It is anticipated that the influx of entries through the Kapıkule Border Gate will further increase in the upcoming days.
Ufuk Yılmaz, who arrived in Türkiye from Austria, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he experienced the peace of being in Türkiye.
Stating that they did not even take a break on the road in order to arrive quickly, Yılmaz said: "We are very happy when we come to our homeland. We have a three-week vacation. We feel very sad when we return. Our feet 'go the opposite way' when we return. There is nothing like one's own homeland."
Likewise, Naim Keskin stated that they longed for Türkiye while abroad throughout the year.
"(When) we are leaving, we leave with tears in our eyes. We are very happy to have reached our homeland," Keskin said.
Last week, Edirne Governor Hüseyin Kürşat Kırbıyık chaired a meeting to assess the current situation at the customs gates, considering the expected increase in the number of vehicles entering the country. Eastern Thrace Foreign Trade Customs Regional Directorate officials presented data on passenger and vehicle entries and exits, staff status, additional assignments and anticipated traffic in European countries during the holiday period based on previous years' data.
Kırbıyık underlined the importance of reducing the average processing time for expatriates during customs clearance. He highlighted the commitment to conducting entry and exit procedures in a friendly and high-quality manner.