Foreign Ministry: Slovak Ambassadors in Middle East Busy

Bratislava, 3 March (TASR) - Slovak ambassadors in the most exposed countries in the Middle East are on high alert, the Foreign Ministry posted on social media on Tuesday, adding that they have confirmed that their embassies are on full alert and actively responding to the current security situation. The ministry also noted that Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) has spoken by phone with all Slovak ambassadors in the Middle East. "We've been in contact with the heads of our diplomatic missions since the outbreak of the conflict. They are monitoring the situation on an ongoing basis and have provided me with comprehensive information on current developments and measures taken to ensure that Slovak citizens and the staff of our diplomatic missions are safe," stated Blanar, emphasising that there are still no Slovak citizens among the injured. In light of the current security situation, Blanar decided to close on a temporary basis the Slovak Institute in Jerusalem, Israel, and evacuate its staff to Slovakia via Jordan. The ministry also explained that most of the representative offices of European Union-member states are currently located in the Iranian capital of Tehran. "However, the situation is escalating, and the head of Slovak diplomacy has decided to evacuate the staff of the Slovak Embassy in Tehran to Baku in Azerbaijan," stated the ministry. The United Arab Emirates has the highest number of Slovak citizens still in the country due to the closed airspace. The ministry warned of the need for vigilance, especially in areas with US facilities, which have been targeted by attacks near Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The representative office in Beirut, Lebanon, reports that the embassy is operating without any problems, stated the ministry, adding that the situation is also stable in Cyprus. am/df