Over 22,000 Romanians want visas for Afghan citizens, a petition, forwarded to CSAT, Foreign Ministry

A petition with over 22,000 signatures, through which the authorities are asked to issue visas for Afghani citizens that collaborated with Romania and NATO, was forwarded to the Supreme Council for Country's Defence (CSAT) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"The Declic community forwarded to the Supreme Council for Country's Defence over 22,000 signatures from citizens who request that the Romanian state issue visas for the Afghani citizens that collaborated with Romania and NATO in the almost 20 years of military presence in Afghanistan, as well as for their families and other vulnerable categories," the Declic Community informed, through a press release on Wednesday.

The petition gathered over 22,000 signatures in one week. The signatories say that Romania needs to grant visas to Afghani citizens that are exposed to the Taliban violence: activists for human rights, journalists, magistrates, teachers, students. They request for airships to be sent to help evacuate the civilians who are "desperately" trying to leave Afghanistan.

"The reports in the international media shows how the Taliban forces are acting vengeance towards all those who supported the NATO forces in Afghanistan, directly or indirectly, or who campaigned for a Taliban-free political regime. A visa can make the difference between life and death, just as the reaction speed in such a crisis is crucial," the press release reads.

According to Catalina Hoparteanu, representative of Declic, the decision "must be made at once", because Romania "cannot remain indebted to all those people who put their lives on the line in the last 20 years of war, during missions, side by side" with the Romanian military.

"We understand society's fears and the risks of an insufficiently researched risk, but, at the same time, we have faith that the force institutions of the state, meant to protect us all, will do their job and will prove their usefulness in this case," she specified.

The petition can be read at https://facem.declic.ro/campaigns/ajutor-pentru-poporul-afgan.

The Supreme Council for the Country's Defence will reunite on Wednesday, starting with 16:00, at the Cotroceni Palace. According to an announcement from the Presidential Administration, the security situation in Afghanistan and its implications for Romania will be on the agenda.