Crisis Cell: Over 80 Moldovan citizens arrived in Chișinău from Dubai

Over 80 Moldovan citizens arrived this morning in the Republic of Moldova on a flight operating the Dubai–Chișinău route. The next flight is scheduled in the near future, in accordance with the timetable approved by the authorities of the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) continues to monitor the situation and maintain contact with the authorities and airline operators to facilitate the return of citizens of the Republic of Moldova.

According to the Crisis Cell within the MFA, the authorities of the United Arab Emirates continue to manage the effects of the missile and drone attacks reported in recent days. Public services are operating normally, and the authorities maintain constant communication with foreign diplomatic missions.

The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Abu Dhabi continues to provide consular assistance to Moldovan citizens affected by disruptions to air transport. So far: 154 calls have been received on the emergency line; 114 requests have been processed by email; 110 evacuation requests have been registered. The authorities of the United Arab Emirates are providing support to people affected by flight cancellations, including by ensuring temporary accommodation for stranded passengers. At the same time, the security situation in the State of Israel remains complex and without major changes. Citizens of the Republic of Moldova are urged to comply with the security measures established by the Israeli authorities and to remain in bomb shelters until the official announcement of the end of alerts.

The airport remains closed to commercial flights and will be used gradually only for flights dedicated to the return of Israeli citizens. In the context of the security situation, through the Embassies of the Republic of Moldova and Romania in Tel Aviv, two citizens of the Republic of Moldova managed to leave Israel and arrived safely in Bucharest. At the same time, no evacuation requests have been registered from Moldovan citizens in the State of Israel.

The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Doha, State of Qatar, has registered 22 individual evacuation requests, and 32 Moldovan citizens have requested information on the security situation and possible options for leaving the country. Doha Airport remains closed today as well. Tomorrow morning a decision is to be taken on whether to maintain the airspace closure or to reopen it. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has announced that it will operate some flights from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Muscat (Oman), starting today.

Airspace and maritime space remain restricted, and Qatari authorities do not recommend evacuation at this time. Likewise, the authorities have registered two repatriation requests from Lebanon. The Consul of the Republic of Moldova is currently clarifying the situation of the persons concerned. Lebanon’s airspace was opened intermittently during the day yesterday, which could allow possible transit options, depending on the evolution of the security situation.

The Republic of Azerbaijan remains an important regional transit point for the evacuation of foreign citizens from Iran. The Azerbaijan–Iran land border remains closed to regular passenger traffic, and emergency exits are possible only through prior institutional coordination. Citizens of the Republic of Moldova who may be in Iran are urged to contact the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Baku to coordinate possible transit or evacuation options.

The security situation in Iran remains extremely volatile, in the context of airstrikes on military and governmental targets. Citizens of the Republic of Moldova in Iran are urged to: avoid travel between provinces; identify the nearest shelters; avoid approaching governmental and military sites; contact the diplomatic mission for possible evacuation options. According to available information, there are currently no evacuation requests from Moldovan citizens in Iran. At the same time, the MFA is receiving notifications from Moldovan citizens in other states, such as the Philippines, Maldives, Zanzibar or Sri Lanka, who are facing flight cancellations or rescheduling and transit difficulties.

In such situations, citizens are advised to stay in contact with travel agencies and airlines to identify available solutions and to report any difficulties to the email address: dac@mfa.gov.md, for case assessment and provision of the necessary consular assistance.

The MFA Crisis Cell will continue to constantly monitor the situation and will provide updates as relevant developments occur. So far, there are no reports of casualties or injured persons among citizens of the Republic of Moldova in the monitored states. The diplomatic missions of the Republic of Moldova maintain permanent contact with local authorities and provide consular assistance to Moldovan citizens in the region.