The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, saying that it is carefully monitoring the development of the situation and taking all necessary measures to protect the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As announced, the Crisis Staff of the Ministry holds continuous meetings and is in constant contact with the diplomatic-consular network of BiH, as well as with relevant international partners. It was emphasized that the situation on the ground is being monitored hour by hour, and that activities are being undertaken so that the institutions can react in a timely manner in case of additional escalation.
The Ministry informed the public that currently no country is organizing the evacuation of its citizens from the Gulf. In order to coordinate within Bosnia and Herzegovina and with the European Union, the Ministry closely cooperates with the operational center of the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is the coordinator of cooperation with the EU Mechanism for Civil Protection, in order to ensure an efficient and safe response if the evacuation of BiH citizens is organized.
Today’s meeting of the Crisis Staff via video link was attended by the ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Tehran, Nijaz Čardaklija, and the ambassador in Tel Aviv, Duško Kovačević, as well as representatives of the BiH embassies in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Doha, Riyadh and Amman. As stated, the focus of the conversation was on the security situation and the needs of the citizens of BiH, especially those who turned for help. BiH citizens are in constant contact with embassies through open communication channels, and they are provided with the necessary information and support.
Citizens who need help are invited to call the 24-hour hotline numbers: +387 33 281 234 and +387 61 168 100 (including WhatsApp and Viber applications).
A special WhatsApp group of the Embassy of BiH in Abu Dhabi was also formed at the number +971 264 44 164 for additional support, while similar groups were established at the embassies in Qatar and Kuwait.
The Ministry states that they are actively considering alternative routes for the evacuation of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the event of the closure of the airport in the Gulf. Citizens will be informed about all relevant details in a timely manner, as promised.
In the end, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina invited citizens to regularly monitor the official communication channels of the Ministry and the embassies of Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to receive timely information on the further development of the situation.
