The 69 people repatriated from Lebanon on Thursday are Romanian citizens and first degree family members, most of them women, children and medical cases, reports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).

The flight was carried out with the support of Ministry of National Defense (MapN), with an aircraft belonging to the Romanian Air Force.

The initiative was carried out „in the context of the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East region”, under the coordination of the Romanian Prime Minister, following the „complex efforts” of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the Ministry of National Defense (MApN) and other institutional partners.

„The 69 people were supported by the staff of the Romanian Embassy in Beirut and by two mobile consular teams from the Rapid Reaction Unit of the MAE, in order to issue their travel documents and complete all the formalities necessary for boarding. Also, steps were taken in addition to the competent local authorities for the safe flight. The operation was also supported by the Romanian authorities, upon the arrival of the Romanian citizens and their family members on the territory of Romania, the structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs providing the necessary assistance in close cooperation with non-governmental organizations and the Bucharest City Hall”, the MAE press release reads.

The Ministry mentions that, including through the Romanian Embassy in Beirut, it continues in the coming period „to make every effort and undertake specific actions, under permanent regime, in order to ensure the consular protection” of the Romanian citizens still in the territory of the Lebanese Republic.

„The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Romania in the Lebanese Republic will remain in permanent contact with the Romanian citizens and their family members who have signaled their presence and registered at the diplomatic mission”, states the quoted source.

At the same time, the MAE reminds that a level 8/9 travel warning has been in force since October 2023 – „AVOID ANY TRAVEL!” for the entire territory of the Lebanese Republic, available at https://www.mae.ro/node/2896, the information being constantly updated, depending on security developments in the region.

The MAE reiterates the firm recommendation addressed to Romanian citizens present in this country to register their presence at the diplomatic mission of Romania in Beirut, in order to facilitate the granting of consular protection.

Romanian citizens can contact the Embassy of Romania in Beirut and announce their presence in the Lebanese Republic, thus communicating their identification data and their coordinates to the e-mail address beirut@mae.ro and to the permanent telephone number of the Embassy of Romania in Beirut: +961 76 775 503.

AGERPRES