site.btaEU Organizes Evacuation Flights for European Citizens in Middle East

The European Commission has announced that it has begun organizing evacuation flights for European citizens in the Middle East as of Wednesday. The first six flights will bring citizens back to Bulgaria, Italy, Austria, and Slovakia, a press release said.  

Additional flights under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism are planned in the coming days, with more EU Member States expressing their willingness to participate, the Commission said. All possible steps have been taken to ensure the safety of EU citizens. By Thursday, ten countries had activated the mechanism: Bulgaria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovakia, and Austria, the press release added. 

Flights operated by European countries are being coordinated with EU institutions. The Commission is in contact with EU delegations and the consular services of Member States in the Middle East.

The Commission noted that it may cover part of the cost of the flights returning European citizens. It also clarified that Europeans have been affected by the events and are unable to return home not only from the Middle East but also from parts of the Asia-Pacific region and Africa due to the closure of major airports.