site.btaPresident Iotova Meets Security Services Over Middle East Conflict, Authorities Report No Direct Threat to Bulgaria

President Iliana Iotova held a meeting to assess the risks to Bulgaria’s national security and the measures undertaken in connection with the conflict in the Middle East, the head of State's press secretariat said on Monday. Taking part in the meeting were caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov, Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov, and the heads of the State Intelligence Agency, the Military Intelligence Service and the State Agency for National Security.

The head of State was briefed on reports by the security services and the Defence Ministry. The participants agreed that there are no direct risks to Bulgaria’s security, and all necessary steps have been taken to ensure the safety of Bulgarian citizens. They also discussed the political, economic and humanitarian consequences of the conflict, as well as possible measures to address them.

A focus of the discussion was the evacuation of Bulgarian citizens from countries affected by the conflict. Such an evacuation will be carried out at the earliest opportunity, the press secretariat said.

Earlier in the day, the Tourism Ministry reported that 1,092 Bulgarian tourists had notified the Ministry that they were stranded in the conflict region. 

The Foreign Ministry urged all Bulgarian citizens affected by suspended flights through Middle Eastern airports, in Israel, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan and Lebanon to remain in safe locations, avoid risky travel to leave the respective country via land borders, and strictly follow the instructions of the local authorities.

On Saturday, the United States and Israel launched a massive attack on Iran. US President Donald Trump called on the Iranian people to “take control of their own destiny.” Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed during the joint Israeli-American attacks.