Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria’s response on Tuesday to the escalating Middle East crisis focused on the single practical goal of protecting Bulgarian citizens while drawing up workable evacuation plans amid rapidly changing airspace restrictions, security risks, and limited flight slots.
The Foreign Ministry set the initial parameters, urging Bulgarians in affected countries to stay put and avoid risky movement: it “recommends that all Bulgarian citizens currently in the affected countries … remain in safe locations, avoid undertaking risky travel to leave the respective country through its land borders, and strictly follow the instructions of the local authorities”.
It coupled that guidance with sustained operational readiness, noting that “the Foreign Ministry’s crisis headquarters is operating around the clock and is receiving and processing all calls and reports from the region and other parts of the world,” as it coordinated with transport and tourism authorities and the caretaker Prime Minister’s office.
At the Council of Ministers, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov framed evacuation planning as conditional on the alignment of routes, landing slots and security clearances. “Various options and routes are currently being discussed. For us, security is the priority,” he said, adding more bluntly: “The safety of Bulgarian citizens comes first.”
External support was integrated into the same logistics-first approach. After a phone call between caretaker Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky and Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said Gerapetritis “has offered Bulgarian citizens in Oman the opportunity to take advantage of an evacuation flight organized by the Greek state, scheduled for Wednesday,” and that Greece showed “readiness to cooperate in future efforts to evacuate Bulgarian citizens from the Middle East region.”
Neynsky stressed that the timing and scale of any operation remains slot-dependent: “Everything depends on where flight slots are granted to us,” she said, while also reporting that “we have already organized the evacuation of the Bulgarians in Oman,” with around 300 people expected.
In parallel, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov sought to contain speculation about Bulgaria’s involvement, stressing that “there is no change in the activities of the Bulgarian Air Force and in the presence of US forces in Bulgaria, as the country is not participating in operations related to the tension between Israel, the US, and Iran,” and citing NATO’s position: “the Secretary General of the Alliance and the Supreme Commander have stated that NATO is not participating in such an operation, and Bulgaria confirms the same position.”
Airlines highlighted the same operational constraints from the commercial side. Wizz Air said “airspace in parts of the region remains severely restricted,” and, after repatriating stranded crew via Muscat, reiterated that it “would not compromise the safety and security of its passengers, crew or fleet under any circumstances.”
The Ministry’s guidance also addressed spillover risks outside the immediate combat zone. In India, it “advised Bulgarian citizens … to avoid going to or near the embassies and consulates of the United States, Israel and Iran,” while in Sri Lanka it pointed to a stopgap for travellers stranded by cancellations: “Bulgarian citizens unable to leave Sri Lanka before their visas expire because flights to the Middle East have been cancelled can obtain a free 14-day visa extension.” Bulgaria Prioritises Citizen Safety as Middle East Evacuations Take Shape 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-03-03 17:55:41 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law
