Bulgaria evacuates 89 nationals and will return for more who want to leave

A Bulgarian government jet has returned to Sofia with 89 nationals who were evacuated from Lebanon.

Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, who welcomed them at the Sofia Airport on Monday, said the government was discussing all options for future evacuations.

“We will evacuate the Bulgarians from Lebanon in the safest way, regardless of the cost. The most important thing is that it is done in the most secure and safe way. There is nothing more expensive than human life,” Glavchev said.

According to Deputy Foreign Minister Elena Shekerletova, 160 out of about 400 Bulgarians who live in Lebanon have said they want to be evacuated.

“More than half arrived on the first flight, while more requests have been processed. A new flight will be scheduled as soon as a group is assembled, and travel is safe,” Shekerletova said at the airport.

“In less than 24 hours, our embassy organized an evacuation, including for the baby who had no documents,” said 38-year-old mother of two Jana Sharaf, holding her 20-day-old infant.

“On Tuesday the bombing started and very quickly it became very scary, very bad. We didn’t know where the bombs would fall, what they were targeting. It was very scary.”