Middle East conflict: Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry issues advisories, PM, President hold emergency meetings
Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry issued an advisory on June 13 as conflicts in the Middle East escalated.
The advisory came as Israel launched attacks on Iran in Operation Rising Lion overnight, with Iran launching drone strikes against Israel in retaliation, the BBC reported.
Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry called on the country’s citizens in the Middle East, in particular in Iraq, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, to strictly adhere to the security instructions of the local authorities, as well as to regularly inform themselves about the situation.
Bulgarian citizens should avoid places where events involving large gatherings of people are held, the ministry said.
“We call on Bulgarian citizens to contact the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Bulgaria in the respective country and to inform them of their location and planned duration of their stay,” it said.
The ministry called on Bulgarian citizens present in Iran to immediately leave the country.
Bulgarian citizens in Iran who are required to remain in the country should strictly adhere to the security instructions of the local authorities, as well as regularly inform themselves about the situation, and avoid places that are military sites or where events involving large gatherings of people are taking place, the ministry said.
The ministry said that Bulgarian citizens should suspend all travel to the State of Israel.
“We advise Bulgarian citizens who are on the territory of the State of Israel to remain calm, to strictly adhere to the instructions of the Israeli Civil Defence, and to monitor current information,” it said.
The Bulgarian government information service said that Prime Minister Rossen Zhelyazkov had a telephone conversation early this morning with Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov and the heads of the Bulgarian security services regarding the escalation of tension in the Middle East.
Zhelyazkov was briefed on the current situation, emphasizing that there is currently no direct danger to Bulgaria.
Surveillance of the air space over Bulgaria has been increased.
At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already instructed Bulgaria’s ambassadors to the State of Israel and to the countries of the Middle East with recommendations for maintaining constant contact with Bulgarian citizens in the region.
The institutions continue to monitor the situation with increased attention, the statement said.
A June 13 statement by the President’s office said that head of state Roumen Radev held a consultative meeting today to assess possible risks and threats to national security, due to the complicated security environment in the Middle East.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defence, the Interior Ministry, Foreign Ministry, the State Intelligence Agency, the Military Intelligence Service, and the State Agency for National Security.
Reports from the security services and the line ministries were heard. The conclusion from the information provided is that there is currently no direct threat to Bulgaria’s security, the statement said.
Preventive measures to increase security in the event of an escalation of the crisis were discussed, as well as possible approaches for the evacuation, if necessary, of Bulgarian citizens from the Middle East region.
The participants in the meeting also discussed the implementation of the measures adopted at a meeting of the Consultative Council on National Security, convened by the President on October 4 2024, in connection with the conflicts in the Middle East, the statement said.
(Photo: Foreign Ministry)
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