RA government to subsidize expenses of RA citizens who returned from  the Middle East

ArmInfo.  The Armenian government will subsidize the expenses of citizens of the country who traveled to their homeland via roundabout routes from the Middle  East. The decision to this effect was made at a government meeting on  April 9.

The rationale for the draft decision emphasizes that due to the  situation in the Middle East, a number of flights from Middle Eastern  countries to the Republic of Armenia have been cancelled, and the  airspace of several countries in the region has been closed. Armenian  embassies in several Middle Eastern countries have worked to ensure  the safe return of Armenian citizens to the Republic of Armenia. The  Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with partners from the  relevant countries, has secured permits for flights from Oman,  Lebanon, and India to the Republic of Armenia. Taking advantage of  the fact that the United Arab Emirates shares a land border with  Oman, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia  initiated free travel for Armenian citizens from the UAE to Oman via  Muscat Airport. Information about the initiative was disseminated  through the platforms of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Embassy  of the Republic of Armenia in Abu Dhabi, and the Consulate General of  the Republic of Armenia in Dubai.  Information from interested  Armenian citizens was collected, and from March 4 to 10, five  passenger flights were carried out, providing free travel for 253  Armenian citizens to Oman. The Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in  Oman ensured the safe and unhindered border crossing of Armenian  citizens at the UAE-Oman border, accompanying them to Muscat Airport,  where they received the necessary assistance.

From March 2 to 12, 550 citizens returned to the Republic of Armenia  on the Muscat-Yerevan flight.  Approximately 1,030 Armenian citizens  returned on the Dubai-Yerevan flight from March 3 to 16, when  separate flights were already in operation. Armenian citizens also  returned via other routes. There is currently no information on how  many of them received full compensation from the airline for the  canceled flight or purchased new tickets. As of March 19,  approximately 1,080 citizens contacted diplomatic missions of the  Republic of Armenia. This number also includes approximately three  dozen Armenian students who were studying or are continuing their  studies in Israel, Qatar, and Kuwait. Currently, according to  available information, there are cases where an Armenian student was  forced to purchase a ticket and return to Armenia due to the security  situation. Therefore, it would be appropriate to extend the  provisions of the proposed decision to the relevant group of  students.

Thus, citizens who were scheduled to return to Armenia via direct or  transit flights and whose return flights to Armenia were canceled due  to military actions in the Middle East were forced to purchase new  plane tickets for return to the Republic of Armenia, including for  other, often longer, routes or destinations, and will receive 250,000  drams each.