Poland proposes charging citizens for evacuation from high-risk areas

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has proposed introducing fees for evacuating Polish citizens from countries previously designated as high-risk, RMF24 reports.

Amidst the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, he suggested that government or military flights transporting citizens from such zones back to Poland should no longer be fully taxpayer-funded and asked lawmakers to support the necessary legal changes.

Since March 1, following the outbreak of war in the Middle East, 736 Poles—including 37 children under 15—travelled to the region: 97 to Qatar, 271 to Oman, and 368 to the United Arab Emirates. Sikorski emphasised that he hopes repatriation will not be financed by taxpayers.

Earlier on March 10, Foreign Ministry spokesman Maciej Wewiór reported that 9,772 people had returned to Poland from the Middle East on 55 flights.

The United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Tehran retaliated by launching attacks on Israel and American bases in the region, which resulted in many airlines cancelling their flights in the region.

By Khagan Isayev