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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan approved five international agreements covering customs transport, visa exemptions and educational infrastructure, with all accords published Thursday in Türkiye's Official Gazette, according to government announcements.
The ratified agreements include amendments to a decades-old customs convention, expanded visa-free travel with Belarus, grant arrangements with Albania, and two German-funded education projects focused on earthquake resilience in Turkish schools.
Among the approved measures are corrections and amendments to the TIR Carnet Customs Convention, originally established on Nov. 14, 1975. The document governs international goods transport under TIR carnets, a customs system that allows sealed cargo to cross borders without inspection at each frontier.
The latest modifications include corrections adopted on Feb. 5-6, 2025, to earlier changes accepted on Feb. 9-11, 2021, as well as amendments adopted on Oct. 10, 2024. All updates will take effect on June 1, 2025.
A protocol signed in Minsk on July 21, 2025, amends Türkiye's existing visa waiver agreement with Belarus, which dates to March 29, 2013. The new provisions specifically exempt truck, bus, train, civil aircraft and ship drivers and crew members engaged in international passenger and cargo transport from visa requirements.
Citizens from both countries in these professional categories may now enter, transit and temporarily stay for up to 90 days within any 180-day period without obtaining visas.
Two separate grant agreements with Germany's state-owned development bank KFW, both signed on Sept. 3, 2025, will channel European funding toward improving school infrastructure in earthquake-affected areas. The first agreement allocates €1 million ($1.18 million) for expert services under the Safe Schools Project in regions impacted by seismic activity.
A second, more geographically focused grant provides €250,000 specifically for expert consultancy services related to safe schools in Istanbul. Both agreements involve Türkiye's Treasury and Finance Ministry, with the Istanbul-specific project also including the Istanbul Governor's Office as a signatory. The funding comes from a special fund provided by the Federal Republic of Germany.
Additionally, a grant agreement with Albania signed on Nov. 5, 2025, on behalf of Türkiye has entered into force, though specific details of that accord were not disclosed in the Official Gazette publication.
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