"An interministerial meeting of the coordination team on the situation in the Middle East is underway. The safety of our compatriots is our priority, regardless of the time of day or day of the week," Sikorski wrote on the social media platform X.
The coordination team was established earlier this week by Donald Tusk in response to escalating tensions in the region. It brings together representatives from several government institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. Officials from the Intelligence Agency, the national carrier LOT Polish Airlines, energy company Orlen, and the Polish Chamber of Tourism are also participating in the team’s work.
The team held its first meeting on Tuesday. Following those discussions, several travel agencies decided to suspend organized trips to Oman amid concerns over regional stability.
Meanwhile, the head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, Jan Grabiec, reported on Saturday that 5,643 people have already returned to Poland as part of the ongoing evacuation operation from the Middle East. He added that three government aircraft are currently in the air and are expected to transport Polish citizens from Riyadh who had earlier been evacuated from Qatar.
The emergency measures come after a dramatic escalation in the region. The United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran last Saturday, February 28, killing the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, along with other senior officials.
Tehran responded with retaliatory attacks, including strikes targeting American military bases across the region. The deteriorating security situation has prompted many international airlines to cancel flights to and from parts of the Middle East, further complicating evacuation efforts and civilian travel.
Polish authorities say they are closely monitoring developments and coordinating with international partners to ensure the safe return of Polish citizens still in the region.
(aj)
SOURCE: IAR