Skopje, 13 October 2023 (MIA) – Around 85 Macedonian nationals who were evacuated from Israel arrived Friday at International Airport Skopje with a free charter flight from Tel Aviv. 

“We were there for seven months, as tourists. It was great, I have a lot of nice memories, but, then this happened. We were in Ashdod. Several Macedonians remained there,” said Marica Janevska from Kumanovo, one of the evacuated passengers.

Evacuee Sasho Jovanovski said he is grateful he arrived home on time.

“Trust me, it’s not easy. But still, I was in an area where there weren’t many conflicts,” said Jovanovski, adding that he expects the remaining Macedonian nationals to return as well.

Friday’s flight also carried Serbian and Montenegrin nationals.

“The streets became dangerous, it was impossible to endure,” said one of the passengers.

A different passenger said the worst is yet to come. “I lived there for nine months, the area in which I lived was safe, but I think the worst is yet to come,” he said.

According to the statements of evacuees, the flight carried more than 70 Serbian nationals, as well as Albanians and Montenegrins.

“I wasn’t worried about returning, I wanted to stay, but as soon as the first bomb fell in my area I decided to return,” said one of the evacuees.

The Tel Aviv – Skopje charter flight was organized as a result of a government decision to evacuate all nationals of the Republic of North Macedonia who wished to leave Israel and who have requested to return to North Macedonia.

In a press release Thursday, the Government said it had overcome the challenge of organizing a charter flight in cooperation with Air Serbia, with the expenses for the flight being covered with funds from North Macedonia’s Budget reserves.

In order to ensure an efficient organization of the flight, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the country’s diplomatic mission in Tel Aviv, secured information on Macedonian nationals who are in Israel and have requested assistance in order to return to North Macedonia, said yesterday's press release. 

Photo: MIA