The first citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina were evacuated from the Middle East through the European Union Civilian Protection Mechanism (UCPM), with the close coordination of the BiH Ministry of Security and the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On Sunday, the evacuation of 13 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina from Oman (Muscat) to Romania (Bucharest) was carried out, thus continuing the process of organized repatriation of BiH citizens from the Middle East region.
After the BiH Council of Ministers adopted the Decision on seeking international assistance through the Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union for the evacuation of citizens of BiH from the countries of the Middle East, the Ministry of Security of BiH, through the Operational and Communication Center BiH-112, activated this mechanism and submitted a request for support to the Emergency Response Coordination Center of the European Commission (ERCC), according to a statement from that ministry.
Immediately after the activation of the Mechanism, operational communication was established with the ERCC, as well as with the operational contact points of the European Union member states that organize repatriation flights from the Middle East region.
Obtained contacts and operational information were forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, which, in accordance with its competences, led further communication and agreements with partner countries regarding the possibility of including BiH citizens on available repatriation flights.
One of the repatriation flights from Riyadh to Warsaw is planned for March 11, for which 11 citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have applied so far – announced the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In parallel with international coordination, the BiH-112 Operational Communication Center is in constant communication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH and the Crisis Team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to exchange information on the number of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who have applied for repatriation through diplomatic and consular missions.
The activities of the Operational and Communication Center BiH-112 of the Ministry of Security of BiH continue in cooperation with the ERCC and partner countries within the Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union in order to obtain additional information and operational contacts that can contribute to the further realization of the repatriation of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Middle East region – it is stated in the statement.
