Over 400,000 Turkish expats entered Turkey since June 1

EDIRNE, Turkey

More than 400,000 Turkish nationals living abroad have entered Turkey through the northwestern Edirne province since June 1, local authorities said Thursday.

Ali Uysal, Edirne’s deputy governor and an administrator at the province’s Kapikule border gate, told Anadolu Agency that Turkish expats who want to spend holidays in Turkey continue to go through the gate.

Noting that due to the coronavirus last year, entries were low, Uysal said: “This year I think we will surpass 2018 and 2019.”

“Currently, more than 400,000 expats have passed through Kapikule since June 1. There is a very busy entrance,” he said.

“In fact, the figure topped 30,000 on one day last weekend, with 7,380 vehicles entering that day. Entries will get busier before Eid al-Adha,” he added referring to the Muslim Feast of the Sacrifice holiday, due to start on July 20 in Turkey.