Crisis Cell - 40 citizens returned to country on Dubai–Chișinău flight

Over 40 citizens of the Republic of Moldova, some of whom also hold Romanian citizenship, landed this morning in Chișinău on a Dubai–Chișinău flight. The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Abu Dhabi is using all available options to evacuate people through the RescEU mechanism.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), in the United Arab Emirates the situation remains largely unchanged. The authorities continue to monitor security developments, and public services and infrastructure are operating normally. Commercial flights continue to operate from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, but on a limited basis, depending on the decisions of the competent authorities and the airlines.

The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Abu Dhabi maintains direct contact with citizens of the Republic of Moldova located in the United Arab Emirates and provides consular assistance according to the requests received. Thus, two citizens of the Republic of Moldova have requested assistance for evacuation from the United Arab Emirates, and two similar requests have been registered from the Kingdom of Bahrain.

In the State of Israel, the security situation remains tense, without essential changes compared to the previous day. The authorities have announced the extension of the state of emergency until 23 March 2026, and the existing restrictions remain in force until 14 March of this year. The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in the State of Israel continues to monitor developments and provide consular assistance to Moldovan citizens in the country.

In the State of Qatar, the situation remains largely similar to that of previous days. The airspace formally remains closed, but limited air corridors are in operation, used mainly by the national carrier Qatar Airways, which operates a restricted number of flights to certain destinations.

The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Doha continues to handle requests for consular support from Moldovan citizens in the State of Qatar and to identify options for transit or departure from the region. According to updated data: 8 individual evacuation requests are currently active; 13 cases have been resolved, with the citizens managing to leave Qatar; 6 cases are under review; 55 citizens of the Republic of Moldova have requested information on options for leaving the country. Some of the citizens who left Qatar used commercial land routes to Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, from where they continued their journey on commercial flights to European destinations. At the same time, three people left Qatar with the support of European partners, via the European evacuation mechanism coordinated by the Member States of the European Union. The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova maintains permanent contact with the embassies of Romania and Poland to facilitate the evacuation of other citizens who are still in Qatar.

The Republic of Turkiye continues to be an important transit point for citizens leaving the region. Airports are operating commercial flights, depending on regional developments and airline schedules. The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Ankara continues to monitor developments in the region and maintains contact with Moldovan citizens in the states to which it is concurrently accredited.

The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Baku, Azerbaijan, also continues to monitor security developments in the region and maintains contact with the competent authorities and diplomatic partners to assess the situation. The MFA recommends that citizens of the Republic of Moldova in the region: avoid non-essential travel; follow the instructions of local authorities; constantly check flight status directly with airlines; stay in touch with the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Moldova; and rely exclusively on official sources of information.

According to the information available, there are no reported deaths or injuries among citizens of the Republic of Moldova in the states of the region. The embassies of the Republic of Moldova maintain direct contact with Moldovan citizens in the area and provide consular assistance according to the requests received.