“After the recent terrorist attacks, one of which occurred in Moscow, security measures have been strengthened in Türkiye. We can confidently say that Türkiye has extensive experience in this field. For the last 40-50 years, we have been waging a merciless fight against terrorism,” the ambassador said in an interview with Kun.uz, ​​calling on us to never forget about the threat of terrorism.
 
According to him, recently the number of citizens of Uzbekistan who have faced an entry ban at Turkish airports has increased. “But it must be said that in the first half of this year, we witnessed the deportation of a small number of Uzbek citizens from the total number of arriving people,” Bekar added.
 
“Of course, this worries us. As two brotherly nations, we have focused all our efforts on a positive agenda,” said the Turkish Ambassador. 
 
According to the diplomat, the relevant departments of the two countries are discussing this issue. “We tell the Uzbek side about the rules we have introduced and explained the importance of mutual exchange of information. I am confident that in the future, through joint efforts, we will eliminate such cases,” said Olgan Bekar.
 
Last year, about 106 thousand Turkish citizens arrived in Uzbekistan, and more than 470 thousand Uzbek citizens visited Türkiye, the ambassador said. Since the beginning of 2023 alone, almost 250 thousand citizens of Uzbekistan have come to Türkiye. In addition, more than 50 thousand people received residence permits in this country.
 
Uzbekistan's External Labor Migration Agency previously warned of increased security measures at Istanbul airport, mainly for foreigners aged 20 to 35. In January-February, 163 citizens of Uzbekistan were banned from entering Türkiye.