Friday, August 20, 2021

Romania is sending an additional 142 firefighters to Greece to support efforts of countering the fires

Romania is sending another 142 firefighters to Greece today to help extinguish the fires, Prime Minister Florin Citu announced last night in a Facebook post. He said that he made this decision along with the Interior Minister, and that President Klaus Iohannis was informed. Two weeks ago, 108 Romanian firefighters, with more than 20 trucks, were deployed to Greece to help extinguish the bush fires that had devastated the country. The way they acted was appreciated by the population, their Greek colleagues and the press. A bush fire, fanned by the change of wind direction, has been active for several days west of Athens. The fire is difficult to extinguish because there are no roads or routes through the pine forests in the region, so as firefighters and their vehicles could reach the fire, according to the Greek minister for the civil protection of Citizens.

Several Romanian citizens have safely entered Kabul International Airport and are ready for evacuation by air

The Romanian foreign ministry has announced that 14 Romanian citizens have safely reached the International Airport in Kabul this morning and are ready to be evacuated by air. They are employees of a security company that operates in Afghanistan and stayed at a foreign military base until Friday. The transfer to the airport was made after some very complex and difficult steps by the Romanian authorities. They are due to be evacuated with the next flight of the Romanian military aircraft stationed in Islamabad at the moment. Apart from the Romanians, a Bulgarian citizen, as well as a British and an American were also evacuated. The Romanian foreign ministry has warned that the security conditions are extremely difficult in dangerous in Kabul. The crisis cell has already made the necessary steps to identify, validate and contact a number of Afghan citizens that used to cooperate with Romanian troops during their mission in Afghanistan. They are due to be evacuated with the Romanian military aircraft, after they manage to reach Kabul Airport.

Two patients with severe burns are to be taken to medical clinics in Germany by a Romanian Air Force plane

A Romanian Air Force aircraft, fitted for medical missions, is today carrying out a humanitarian flight to transport two patients to Germany. The aircraft departs from Otopeni Airport in Bucharest, will make a stopover in Timisoara and will continue its mission to Hanover and Hamburg. Both patients have severe burns and will be treated in specialized medical clinics in Germany. The medical team on board is made of specialists from SMURD Bucharest and the Ministry of National Defense. The mission was requested by Secretary of State Raed Arafat, head of the Department for Emergency Situations and approved by the Minister of National Defense, Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca.

Mădălina Brotăcel, RADOR