More than 3,000 Romanian citizens currently in Gulf countries have formally requested assistance for repatriation, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Andrei Tarnea said on Tuesday.
He mentioned that two Tarom charter flights landed in Bucharest on Tuesday morning, bringing 307 Romanian citizens who had left Israel and later reached Egypt. They were groups of tourists who had traveled to Israel with the support of six Romanian travel agencies.
Tarnea noted that consular emergency lines and the Ministry's consular headquarters continue to receive a high volume of calls requesting information or assistance. Romania estimates that 15,000 - 16,000 citizens are currently in the region, though not all are seeking repatriation and many are permanent residents in Gulf states, Tarnea told a press briefing on the security situation in the Middle East.
Consular staffing for telephone support has been increased, and officials are contacting those who registered for repatriation assistance. Authorities in host countries are also being asked to help citizens who have lost accommodation or are in vulnerable situations.
Tarnea acknowledged ongoing difficulties in reaching consulates, especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, due to the sheer number of calls: "There is no physical capacity to answer so many calls simultaneously," he said.
He added that both Romania and the international community are working toward de-escalation, which is essential for restoring normal air traffic.
Airstrikes continued overnight in several Middle Eastern countries - not only in Israel and Iran, but also in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman - leading to widespread airspace closures or temporary restrictions.
Foreign Affairs Minister Oana Toiu, who is currently on a working visit to Warsaw, shortened her schedule and will return to Bucharest on Tuesday. She has held phone talks with counterparts in Egypt, Kuwait, the UAE, Iraq, and Jordan, addressing both the regional security situation and the support available for Romanian citizens in those countries.
Tarnea stressed that Romania has "several thousand" citizens affected by the current conditions, in addition to many long-term residents in these states, and reiterated Romania's condemnation - together with the international community and EU partners - of Iran's "unjustified and illegal" attacks on countries in the region, which have contributed to the crisis.
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