Greek citizens who were repatriated from the Middle East together with their companion animals through a special flight organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with Aegean Airlines were welcomed today by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Maximos Mansion. “We are very happy to have you here, I must tell you that this was one of the most difficult missions we organized, but I think that as a person who has animals I cannot imagine how anyone could leave without taking their animals with them,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis said initially.
The Prime Minister had the opportunity to speak with the repatriated citizens about their experiences, while noting that Greece was the first country to arrange for the safe evacuation of pets from the Gulf region. “I must tell you that we created a precedent, because we were the first country that managed to carry out such a mission,” he said, estimating that other countries are now considering moving in the same direction. During the meeting, they discussed the challenges and difficulties of such evacuation operations, with Kyriakos Mitsotakis noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dealt from the first moment with organizing flights for the return of Greek citizens. “Our first priority was always the safety of Greeks and the ability for those who wanted to return, and of course to return together with their companion animals,” the Prime Minister stated.
