Montenegro activates EU Mechanism for evacuation of Montenegrin citizens from the Middle East

The government announced that at a telephone session on March 8, they adopted the Information on the activation of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) for the repatriation of Montenegrin citizens from the Middle East.

A document published on the government's website states that the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, which began on February 28 with joint air strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, has led to significant security instability in the region.

"The attacks and retaliation have spread to multiple countries, including Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. As a result, a large number of flights have been canceled or diverted, while the airspace of some countries has been partially or completely closed," they remind.

Twenty EU countries activated the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) between 2 and 6 March to repatriate their nationals. A total of 50 repatriation flights were planned or carried out with the support of the mechanism, of which 19 flights have already taken place, while the rest are in the planning phase, the document states. By 6 March, more than 1.000 passengers had been repatriated, including citizens of EU Member States and other countries participating in the Mechanism.

For the first time, the rescEU transport and logistics capacity for repatriation has been activated, at the request of Romania, with at least 30% of seats on planes reserved for citizens of other EU Member States and partner countries. In some cases, ground transport by buses to airports in countries with open airspace has also been organised to facilitate the return of citizens to the EU.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Directorate for Protection and Rescue to activate the Union Civil Protection Mechanism for the repatriation of Montenegrin citizens from the Middle East.

The request states that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already organized two evacuation flights, bringing more than 200 citizens to Montenegro, and that it continues to undertake all necessary activities for the safe evacuation of Montenegrin citizens. It also states that interested citizens are still coming forward and that about 250 citizens have registered so far, for whom it is necessary to organize a return to Montenegro.

"In connection with the above, it is necessary for the Government of Montenegro, pursuant to Article 36, paragraph 1, item 4 of the Law on Protection and Rescue ('Official Gazette of Montenegro', no. 13/07, 32/11, 54/16, 146/21, 3/23 and 82/25), to give its consent for the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Directorate for Protection and Rescue, as the contact point on behalf of Montenegro for cooperation with the competent Directorate-General of the European Commission for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations - DG ECHO, to activate the Union Civil Protection Mechanism through the Operational Communication Centre 112 (OKC 112), i.e. to send a Request for Assistance for the Repatriation of Montenegrin citizens to the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) through the Common Disaster Communication and Information System (CECIS)," the document states.