The Dereköy Customs Gate in Kırklareli has opened to light commercial cargo vehicles with a maximum loaded weight of up to 3.5 tonnes. Türkiye's Ministry of Trade said the operation began on August 1, 2026, and that the first export departure under the new arrangement was completed on the same day. The Dereköy gate on the Turkish side and Malko Tarnovo on the Bulgarian side now provide an additional land route for smaller commercial cargo vehicles.
The first export vehicle crossed into Europe
According to the ministry's August 2 announcement, the first crossing involved a light commercial vehicle carrying an automotive component shipment bound for Germany. The vehicle completed customs procedures at Dereköy at 1:12 p.m. on August 1. It then continued toward Europe through Bulgaria's Malko Tarnovo Customs Gate. The ministry recorded the movement as the first export departure under the expanded operation.
TRT Haber and Demirören News Agency reported the same start date, 3.5-tonne limit and direction of the first journey. All three sources describe the threshold as the vehicle's maximum loaded weight. The change is not a general opening for every heavy truck; it applies specifically to light commercial cargo vehicles that do not exceed the stated limit.
The plan targets congestion at other border gates
The Ministry of Trade said the additional option is intended to help reduce congestion at the Kapıkule and Hamzabeyli customs gates. Allowing light commercial vehicles to use Dereköy is designed to support more effective management of truck traffic and give eligible export shipments another route. The ministry also placed the change within its broader work to increase service capacity at border gates and accelerate foreign-trade procedures.
Those points are the official objectives of the operation, not measured traffic outcomes. Authorities have not yet published data showing how much waiting times at Kapıkule or Hamzabeyli have changed. The practical effect will therefore need to be assessed through later figures on vehicle movements, processing times and border operations.
The arrangement follows Turkish-Bulgarian customs talks
The operation was introduced after discussions between the customs administrations of Türkiye and Bulgaria. Dereköy-Malko Tarnovo is one of the land connections between the two countries. The expanded scope enables customs processing for qualifying light vehicles carrying commercial loads, alongside the crossing's existing functions.
The official statement does not say that all commercial vehicles or heavy goods traffic should move to this gate. Eligibility is limited to vehicles at or below 3.5 tonnes, including the threshold itself. The announcement also does not remove documentation or customs requirements. The first vehicle crossed only after its procedures at Dereköy had been completed.
What has been confirmed so far
The sources agree on the central facts: the expanded operation began on August 1, the first export vehicle crossed that day, and the shipment continued through Bulgaria toward Germany. The declared purpose is to add capacity to cross-border logistics. No official result has yet been released for daily capacity, average crossing time or the total trade volume expected to use the route, so firm estimates in those areas would be premature.
