site.btaUPDATED Evacuation of Bulgarians from Middle East Continues in Organized Manner – Foreign Minister

The evacuation of Bulgarian citizens from the conflict zone in the Middle East is continuing, and at this stage it is proceeding in a highly organized way, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky told the media on Thursday, emerging from a meeting of the Security Council at the Council of Ministers concerning the situation in the Middle East.

Neynsky said: “Ambassadors and consuls on the ground are involved in assisting and providing sufficient security for Bulgarian citizens, because the distances from hotels to airports are considered higher-risk areas.” 

According to her, all Bulgarian citizens have been evacuated from Iraq, while the Embassy in Jordan has assisted 130 people. “Evacuating citizens from Iran is proving difficult – this is currently our biggest problem, as the Iranian authorities at the border with Azerbaijan have stopped not only Bulgarian citizens but also citizens of other European Union countries,” Neynsky noted. She specified that this involves ten Bulgarians.

Bulgarian embassies across the Gulf are in contact with Bulgarian citizens, she said.

Taking a journalist’s question about assistance for Bulgarians currently in the Maldives, Neynsky said: “We are trying as a priority to evacuate people whose lives and health may be at risk.” The Foreign Minister noted that the Maldives is outside the conflict zone. She said that Bulgaria’s Embassy in India is helping compatriots in the island country find plane tickets. “There were also ideas for charter flights,” she added.

“I know this is a matter of impatience; there are also children there and people with health problems, and humanitarian cases will be given priority,” she said. According to her, there have been reports from some places that people are trying to gain an advantage during the evacuation process, and an analysis will be carried out.

The Foreign Ministry does not maintain direct contact with tour operators, as they have their own obligations to tourists, but where they are unable to provide assistance, the ministry tries to help, she added. Some airlines have contacted the ministry offering assistance in evacuating Bulgarian citizens, Neynsky said, adding that she personally monitors everything and sends the information to the situation centre at her ministry, where staff work around the clock.

“We are striving to ensure maximum oversight and effort, because human lives are at stake,” she added.

“We are in constant contact with our allies, including the United States, which has large military aircraft that could also take our compatriots on board,” Neynsky added. She noted that Austria had provided assistance and that she had spoken with her counterpart from Greece, who had also offered help. According to her, evacuation of Bulgarian citizens has also been arranged from Oman.

Neynsky said she had discussed possible assistance with the foreign minister of Turkiye in the event of a potential migrant flow. “At this stage there is no danger of a migrant flow, but we must be prepared,” she added.

“There is a change in the geopolitical situation in the sense that there was a missile directed towards Turkiye, which is a member of NATO, and another missile, it is assumed, towards a United Kingdom base in Cyprus, as well as targeted or indiscriminate attacks against countries in the Gulf or their infrastructure. All this shows an escalation of the conflict, which is why we are discussing the situation today and what measures may need to be taken to guarantee the safety of Bulgarian citizens,” the Foreign Minister said in response to a question about how Bulgaria’s position is changing.

The evacuation of Bulgarian citizens depends primarily on the state of the airspace, because if there is any aerial escalation, air routes may be cancelled. According to her, the Interior Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the Regional Development and Public Works Ministry, the Tourism Ministry and the Foreign Ministry are engaged in conducting a thorough analysis of the situation to assess what measures should be taken. The National Assembly will be informed if there is a situation requiring a change in the measures taken by Bulgaria so far.

New telephone lines have been opened, and the email listed on the website of the Foreign Ministry can also be used. Consular services and embassies are in contact with citizens. According to Neynsky, the situation centre is where information is collected, lists are compiled and coordination with the embassies is carried out.

“There is no danger that Bulgarian citizens will not be evacuated; it is only a matter of time,” Neynsky said, adding that a risk would arise only if the airspace were closed.