site.btaSome 50 Bulgarians Have Requested Evacuation from Israel - Foreign Minister Georgiev

Speaking to reporters in Plovdiv on Sunday, Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev said that some 50 Bulgarians had requested evacuation from Israel amid rising tensions in the Middle East. These individuals are currently located in various parts of the country, he noted.

“Our main priority is to evacuate them in the most normal and harmless way possible,” Georgiev said, noting that safety and not speed is the key concern. The Foreign Ministry is maintaining constant contact with the Bulgarians in Israel, he added. 

“Through our embassy in Tel Aviv, we are maintaining excellent synergy with all relevant institutions and services. We are monitoring the situation very closely. In order for an evacuation operation to be carried out in the most secure way, there must be very good and careful planning and strong coordination,” Georgiev said. “We are working to ensure the safest possible route. These people must leave one very dangerous area, pass through another high-risk zone, and may end up in a third area that is not much safer,” the Minister added. 

Georgiev said that there was no immediate danger to staff at the Bulgarian Embassy, as every building in Israel is equipped with a bomb shelter.

Bulgaria remains in constant contact with its embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran, staying updated on developments on the ground, the Foreign Minister said.