Truck Drivers Blocked the Border Crossing
The Kataş-Sen Highway Transportation and Workers’ Union launched a protest at the Kapıkule Border Crossing in Edirne on October 27, blocking entry and exit at the border due to long wait times, visa requirements, and the many hardships truck drivers have faced while waiting.
In countries such as Croatia, Serbia, and Romania, hundreds of truck drivers are being denied entry due to visa requirements, and more than 100 truck drivers transporting goods from Bulgaria have been turned back. Truck drivers are continuing their protest at the border crossing today, on the second day of their demonstration.
“Drivers are not tourists… Long live the drivers’ great strike… United drivers will prevail…”
The demands of international truck drivers for urgent solutions from the ministry and relevant agencies are as follows:
* Guarantee of International Law and the Right to Work: Within the framework of International Labor Organization (ILO) principles and European Union acquis, the right to work is an inviolable human right. The deprivation of this right through arbitrary visa restrictions constitutes a serious violation of the law. We do not want drivers to abandon the wheel; rather, we want them to perform their duties under the protection of international law and in conditions befitting human dignity. This oppression and these human rights violations occurring at the borders of Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania must be brought to an immediate end.
* A Professional Solution to the 90/180-Day Rule and an Urgent Appeal to the Ministries: It must be recognized that international truck drivers are not tourists, but the lifeblood of international logistics. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Trade, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of the Republic of Turkey must resolutely defend the rights and interests of workers and drivers at the international table as part of their core responsibilities. We call on all our ministries to take action; we demand the signing of special protocols with the EU to safeguard professional activities and the immediate establishment of a joint crisis task force with elected driver representatives.
* Acceleration of Customs Procedures and Transparency: Shortcomings in technical infrastructure and staffing must be urgently addressed; chronic X-ray malfunctions must be resolved; and allegations of queue violations and bribery at border crossings—which have become rampant—must be effectively investigated without being swept under the rug.
* Humane Waiting and Living Conditions: At all border crossings—including Kapıkule, Hamzabeyli, Gürbulak, Cilvegözü, and Sarp—and in the kilometer-long lines, drivers must be provided immediate and free access to clean water, hygienic restrooms, showers, and healthy food—their most basic rights.
* Social Services and Rest Areas That Respect Human Dignity: To ensure our fellow drivers can rest under humane conditions, free laundromats and quality rest areas must be built quickly along border routes and at waiting points.
* 24-Hour Uninterrupted Emergency Medical Services: Medical stations staffed by doctors should be established at border crossings; a 24/7 uninterrupted ambulance service should be deployed to prevent loss of life that could occur during long drives and waiting periods spanning several kilometers.
* Democratic Representation and Transparent Oversight: To prevent arbitrary treatment and bureaucratic pressure at the borders, a direct and transparent complaint mechanism must be established; elected driver representatives working directly in the field must be directly involved in all decision-making and oversight processes.
* Truck Driver Professional Act: The “Truck Driver Professional Act” must be enacted immediately to bring drivers’ working conditions up to humane standards, completely eliminate rights violations reminiscent of a system of slavery, and legally guarantee the professional dignity of these hardworking drivers behind the wheel. Truck driving is not a favor—it is an honorable profession!
Truck drivers making deliveries to European countries have for some time been organizing protests and holding press conferences at the Kapıkule Border Crossing, led by the Road Transport Workers’ Union and the International Drivers’ Association, demanding that their issues be resolved.
