site.btaNo Information Received about Deceased Bulgarian Woman or Any Injured Bulgarians in Israel - Foreign Ministry

The Foreign Ministry has not received any information about a deceased Bulgarian woman or any injured Bulgarian nationals in Israel, Nikolina Kuneva, ambassador-at-large at the Middle East and Africa Directorate and former Bulgarian ambassador in Teheran, said during a news briefing on the conflict between Israel and Iran. 

The coordination centre, set up by order of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov in response to the situation in the Middle East and led by Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, is in constant contact with the embassies and other relevant institutions, Kuneva said. 

In Kuneva’s words, more than 50 people have requested evacuation from Israel and the necessary lists are being prepared. “We are assessing the best time to put the evacuation plans into action. Our priority is safety, not speed, as the situation is very complex,” she noted. Kuneva said that it is impossible to predict when airspace over Israel and Iran will reopen.

The Bulgarian community in Iran is smaller than the one in Israel, Kuneva said. She added that evacuation lists will be drawn up when evacuation is possible. The embassy is in contact with each Bulgarian national there, she said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said that six Bulgarians currently in Iran are seeking a way to leave the country. “We remain ready - if there is an opportunity and willingness, whether direct or indirect - to make this happen. This will be done only if necessary, as the diplomatic mission on the ground can better determine what is needed,” he added.