Seven repatriated from Syria to Romania via Turkey

Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) reports that, following the steps taken by its task force on Thursday the procedures for the repatriation from Syria of seven persons - six Romanian citizens, including five minors, and a Syrian citizen, a family member - through Turkey were completed.

According to a MAE press statement, the repatriation was carried out with support from Romania's embassies in Damascus and Ankara, the Consulate General of Romania in Istanbul and the Honorary Consulate of Romania at Iskenderun, according to agerpres.

MAE, through the Romanian Embassy in Ankara, took steps with the Turkish authorities to facilitate the entry of the group into Turkey from Syria, the accommodation of the Romanian citizens and their family member at a special reception centre, and the issuance of a travel document for the family member, the Syrian citizen, so that he can continue his travel to Romania. At the same time, the Romanian diplomatic mission took the necessary steps to issue the travel documents for the Romanian citizens.

Mobile consular teams of the Romanian Embassy in Ankara and the Consulate General of Romania in Istanbul accompanied the Romanian citizens during the transit through the territory of Turkey, and a consular team from the MAE task force welcomed the Romanian citizens upon their arrival in Bucharest.

MAE says it has fully borne the transport costs for the repatriation of the seven people.

It also says that the repatriation measure is part of constant steps of assistance and consular protection granted by the MAE to Romanian citizens and family members in special situations through diplomatic missions and consular offices in countries with high security risks.

At the same time, MAE says that 755 Romanian citizens and family members have been repatriated since the beginning of the evacuation operations in Syria in 2011 through the direct intervention of the embassies of Romania in Damascus and Beirut and under the coordination of the MAE task force.

The Embassy of Romania in Damascus is currently providing consular assistance and protection, including to nationals of Australia, Canada, France, Moldova and Portugal who are in Syria.

MAE also reiterates its firm recommendations to Romanian nationals living in conflict areas to leave and to contact Romania's local missions to announce their presence in the region so that they can benefit from consular assistance and protection.

It also recommends the people access the information provided through the "Safe Travel" application (www.mae.ro/app_cs), downloadable on any smartphone and alert SMS under the campaign "A text message can save your life!."