Romania has requested, through the European civil protection system, the organization of approximately five flights for the evacuation of approximately 1,000 Romanian citizens from the Middle East, announced the Government's spokesperson, Ioana Dogioiu.
She was asked, on Thursday, in a press conference at the Victoria Palace, about the steps taken by the Romanian authorities for the assisted repatriation or with military aircraft of Romanian citizens in states in the region.
"On March 4, Romania activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism (EUCPM) to organize a charter evacuation flight on the Muscat - Bucharest route. In parallel, Romania's request for capacity, approximately 5 flights (1,000 citizens), was notified to the European Civil Protection System through the RescEU Mechanism for flights on the Dubai/Muscat - Bucharest/Romania route. The flight already activated, which is operated by HiSky, is planned for March 6, 5:00 a.m. local time," Ioana Dogioiu declared on Thursday in a press conference at Victoria Palace.
The official also presented an assessment of the repatriation operations from Israel, specifying that this action is considered almost completed at the level of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).
"There are flights assisted by the Romanian state, as happened in the case of Israel, from where repatriation is considered at the level of the MAE, practically completed. 490 people were brought to the country. 318 Romanian citizens returned from the State of Israel with assisted repatriation flights. (...) Another group of 174 people, of whom 172 Romanian citizens and 2 citizens of the Republic of Moldova, returned to the country from the State of Israel, by means of an air flight operated by a private company that expressed, at the request of the MAE, its availability to operate a flight on the Taba-Bucharest route. 70% of the flight capacity, i.e. 126 seats, are allocated to Romanian citizens, according to the rule, this is how it is when they are done through the European mechanism, the remaining 30% of seats, i.e. 54, are allocated to citizens of other EU member states. In order to establish the specific list of passengers, priority conditions were taken into account, groups of children without parents, the highest priority being those with younger ages and the older the child, please, the child towards the young, the further down this list they are. Also, pregnant women and medical cases," Dogioiu said.
She added that the Romanian authorities are holding discussions to identify a land transit solution between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which would allow the organization of a flight on the Riyadh-Bucharest route for approximately 370 Romanian citizens stranded in Doha.
"Additionally, at this moment, Air Doha is supporting Romanian citizens who are unable to financially support their accommodation in Qatar. 16 Romanian citizens have expressed their intention to travel to Romania and are boarding at Amman airport for a flight provided by the Czech Republic today, March 5 - because there is that reciprocity mechanism, which we entered; and we provide 30% for other EU states, and other states provide for us", stated Dogioiu.
According to her, from information that the MAE considers officially unconfirmed, approximately 750 Romanian citizens have already returned to the country from the United Arab Emirates on commercial flights, and approximately another 120 are to return also via commercial flights.
The Government's official also gave a current presentation of the requests for assistance, specifying that the situation in this regard is in constant dynamics: "Israel - 60 such requests - but I repeat, not necessarily for repatriation, but simply for contact with the authorities in Romania. Qatar - approximately 370, the United Arab Emirates - approximately 3,000, Saudi Arabia - approximately 100, Lebanon - approximately 150, Oman - approximately 100, Kuwait - approximately 250, of which 100 are interested in returning to the country in the coming period. Iran - 8, Iraq - 2, Jordan - approximately 150. And there is another category: citizens affected by flight disruptions and stranded in the Eastern Hemisphere - approximately 800 requests for assistance".
Comentează