3,000 Romanians stuck in the Middle East are asking for consular help. The MAE admits that it is overwhelmed by the number of requests
The security situation in the Middle East is getting complicated, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs monitors approximately 16,000 Romanians in the region. Of these, around 3,000 requested concrete support for repatriation, while two Tarom flights have already brought home 307 citizens evacuated from Israel. MFA officials admit that the volume of calls exceeds the capacity of consular telephone lines.
Andrei Țarnea PHOTO: video capture
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) stated that it is carefully following the situation of Romanian citizens from the Middle East and continues to facilitate their repatriation, amid the escalation of conflicts. There are approximately 16,000 Romanians in the records of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of which approximately 3,000 requested active support to return home.
“Throughout yesterday, overnight and early today, airstrikes continued in several Middle Eastern states, not just Israel and Iran. Drone and missile attacks were also reported in Bahrain, industrial areas in the United Arab Emirates and a commercial port in Oman.”said the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andrei Țărnea.
The official pointed out that these events led to the total or partial closure of airspace in the region.
Regarding the repatriation of Romanian citizens, Țărnea specified that during the morning two Tarom flights landed in Bucharest, bringing 307 Romanians evacuated from Israel.
“We are about 3,000 or so citizens who concretely request help for repatriation and we have in mind a number of about 16,000 citizens in the region. Once again, it is not the total number of Romanian citizens in these areas, but it is about those who are Romanian citizens and are not necessarily permanent residents or are only Romanian citizens, but permanent residents in the country from the Gulf area“, he explained.
“There is no physical capacity to take that many phones at once”
Considering the high number of requests, the MFA has added consular staff dedicated to the telephone lines, but officials admit that the volume of calls exceeds the institution's capacity.
“We continue to receive messages from citizens and their families, but the difficulty of contacting the consulates remains. We fear that this situation will persist for the duration of the crisis, because there is no physical capacity to answer so many phones simultaneously“, declared Șarnea.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs that the activity at the international airports in Dubai and Abu Dhabi has only partially resumed. Romanian citizens who wish to return to the country are advised not to travel to the airport without flight confirmation, to check its status directly with the airline operator or travel agency and to follow the instructions of the local authorities.
Consular teams remain in contact with the Emirati authorities and recommend maintaining contact with airlines and travel agencies. Medical cases and groups of children are prioritized, and unregistered Romanians are advised to register at www.econsulat.ro.
