We evacuated a group of 148 people, 89 of whom are Bulgarians. This was said by Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, who welcomed our compatriots evacuated from Israel at the capital's airport, BTA reported.
He emphasized that in addition to compatriots, citizens of several different countries - Slovenia, the USA, Belgium, Albania, Kosovo - returned home on the plane sent by Bulgaria.
The largest group is from our neighbors from Romania - 41 people, said the Foreign Minister.
I know that the last few days have been long and tiring. Days in which there was not much information, as we hoped to hear. This was a complex, multi-component and particularly difficult task. A task that went through coordination with several of our diplomatic missions. Simultaneously in Tel Aviv, in Cairo, and while we were developing backup options for the one that was implemented, also Jordan. I say all this to get an idea of what the Bulgarian state has managed to do, what kind of operation the Bulgarian Prime Minister and the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry are coordinating, emphasized Minister Georgiev.
He highlighted the great contribution of Bulgarian diplomats on the ground to the success of the operation to repatriate our compatriots.
Minister Georgiev said that all Bulgarians for whom there is data that they wished to leave Israel were repatriated to Bulgaria. “You know that there are many people of Bulgarian origin there. Many people with mixed marriages, people with dual citizenship. Those who did not want to return home, but we have contacted them, offering them the opportunity“, he explained.
The Minister assured that Bulgaria continues, through all diplomatic channels, to be ready to provide assistance and information. Minister Georgiev also emphasized that the opened coordination center will continue to operate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The situation in relation to Iran is quite dynamic. There are also signals coming from our compatriots there. At this stage, there are very few Bulgarians who have expressed a desire to leave. We are looking for ways to make this happen, because the situation in Tehran is very complicated. The reason why we are sparing in information is that it is mainly related to security“, the Minister explained.
“I am pleased to be on Bulgarian soil“, said Lena Asenova, an evacuated mother of three children. She thanked the Bulgarian authorities for their quick response.
“We heard the alarms and my children were very scared. Hours later I called our representatives in Tel Aviv, who reacted instantly. I said I wanted to leave now and immediately“, she said. According to Lena Asenova, the Bulgarian authorities did “even the impossible“ to ensure the evacuation of our compatriots.
Other evacuated Bulgarians also shared that the Bulgarian institutions acted quickly and were well coordinated with each other.