Serbia Continues the Evacuation of Its Nationals from the Middle East

The State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Damjan Jović, who is coordinating the operation, stated that representatives of the Ministry arrived in Riyadh earlier today, from where further evacuation activities are being organized. He added that an evacuation flight from Doha is planned for tomorrow for Serbian nationals who were present in these countries at the time the conflict began.

He emphasized that the operation is highly demanding, both logistically and financially, given that the evacuation is being conducted from multiple countries, with organized transport to Doha, from where citizens will be transferred to Belgrade. He further noted that the national carrier, Air Serbia, is unable to operate flights to the area due to the inability to secure insurance coverage, and that the Government of Serbia has therefore arranged a charter flight operated by Qatar Airways for the return of its citizens to the country.

According to him, the operation will involve several hours of overnight travel through the Saudi desert, after which the group will meet at the Qatar border with citizens arriving from Kuwait and Bahrain, before proceeding together to Doha airport, from where a flight to Belgrade is expected in the afternoon.

Jović highlighted that Serbia’s diplomatic and consular missions in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have been working continuously in recent days to register citizens wishing to leave these countries, commending their dedication and professionalism.

Underscoring that the Republic of Serbia takes care of its citizens, he stressed that, despite the financial complexity of the operation and the engagement of significant state resources, the Government of the Republic of Serbia considers the lives and safety of its citizens to be an absolute priority.