The Kapıköy-Razi border crossing, located on the Iranian border of Van, has become a real problem for those who deal with border trade. The Kapıköy border crossing was opened in 1991 and closed by AKP’s Minister of Commerce Kürşat Tuzmen in 2004, saying 'it helped the organization', meaning the PKK. The AKP officials repeatedly opened it with official ceremonies before elections and closed it again. The government closed it again in 2020 after the pandemic outbreak. In April, the Kapıköy border crossing was reopened following the easing of pandemic restrictions. The border crossing was closed again in July. Turkish and Iranian officials blamed each other over the issue. In the meantime, the Turkish citizens who make 50 or 100 TL per day out of the border trade suffer from the constant closures of the border gates.  

‘GOVERNMENT WILL USE IT TO WIN ELECTIONS’

Taylan Durmaz, the owner of a travel company that has been carrying passengers at the border for years, said that the government wants to use the Kapıköy-Razi border crossing as an election promise. Durmaz noted that the Iranian state is constantly making things difficult and trying to prevent its citizens from coming to Turkey. “Both sides are quite reluctant to resolve the issue. The priorities of the two states are very different. I and hundreds of people like me have been treated unjustly for about 1.5 years. All our applications have remained unanswered. Van's trade is affected in a negative way by this situation.”

'UNFUNCTIONAL BORDER GATE’

Emre Değer, who makes a living by trade at the Kapıköy border crossing, said, “There is no trade. There were only transit passes, but it was also closed due to the pandemic. The Turkish President held an opening ceremony, yet it was closed again. The Esendere and Doğubayazıt border crossings in Hakkari are in the same situation.”