Pavić: A large number of people from the MFA participated in the organization of the evacuation, we remain ready

The last Serbian citizen who asked for help from the Embassy in New Delhi, Milka Damjanović, was evacuated yesterday afternoon, and Pavić says that she not only landed safely in Kazakhstan, but was welcomed there in a way that deserves great praise.

"As for her return, she has been free to move and choose the way and time of her return to Serbia since last night" Pavić told Tanjug.

When asked if there is a possibility that there are more Serbian citizens in Afghanistan, the charge d'affaires said that this possibility should not be ruled out.

"We must not relax after what has been done and risk not giving help to someone we could help", Pavić said.

He added that persons of Serbian nationality, who are holders of passports of other countries or the United Nations, according to the rules that apply in those circumstances and the rules of international law, must be tied to various other states.

"We are absolutely ready and we pay attention to the information from on the spot. We have been doing it during this procedure and we do it now, offering help not only to Montenegrin citizens, whom we are obliged to help on the basis of the agreement between the two countries, but also to everyone who contacts us. There were also people from the RS who are holders of B&H passports, so we also had communication with the Embassy of B&H ", Pavić said.

However, he pointed out that at this moment, no other holders of Serbian passports have addressed the Embassy in New Delhi or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia.

Pavić explained that there were no evacuation flights from Serbia for objective reasons, because only a certain number of countries have sufficient capacities and possibilities to do so, while the assessment from the very beginning was that it is safest to organize the evacuation of Serbian citizens with partners from other countries.

According to him, that meant coordination between those who are in the diplomatic-consular missions, but also people from the MFA, as well as other partners due to the significant spatial and temporal distance.

"We woke up many at night, but everyone was ready to help", Pavić said.

Pavić, who made great efforts to organize the evacuation of Serbian citizens from Kabul, points out that a significant number of his colleagues from the MFA took part in the whole action, expressing gratitude to the entire list of partners who showed understanding and willingness to help.

"Apart from professional and personal satisfaction, everything that has been done has contributed to the representation of our country being fulfilled, we have left the impression of a professional diplomacy that takes care of its citizens", Pavić said.

He added that the basic assumption in everything was a sufficient dose of calm, cold-bloodedness and reason of the citizens of Serbia who found themselves in a situation that is on the verge of security, with confidence in those to whom they turned for help.

Pavić also said that the readiness to help was expressed not only by those who carried out the evacuation of Serbian citizens, but also by a large number of countries which Serbia contacted in order to help its citizens.

He said that the embassy in New Delhi, while preparing the evacuation, initiated the preparation for activities in case the current situation worsens, working with partners.

As for the further development of the situation in Afghanistan, he said that it is difficult to predict the events in that suffering country, historically called the "tomb of empires".

He pointed out that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which is being constituted, has been declared, and that we should not forget that there is a part of the territory of Afghanistan, in Panshir, which is not under the control of the Taliban, and which hides the seeds of the inter-Afghan conflict.

"In the total sum of everything that is happening, the further security situation in Afghanistan and the region should be monitored seriously and for a long time", Pavić is convinced.

Asked if there could be a new wave of refugees to Europe, he said that Afghanistan is colorful in terms of the population structure.

"India, from which I report, for example, organizes evacuation flights for ethnic Sikhs and the Hindu minority. Of course, we look at the whole situation from our perspective of the movement of refugee waves in the direction of Europe. I think that what we are interested in will be directly related to the overall situation in Afghanistan and actions and reactions at the international level", Pavić underlined.

He pointed out that after the Taliban took control of the territory, they also took over the border crossings, and that the economic exchange is currently standing.

He adds that this is one of the issues that will determine the events in the coming period, because the country cannot function without at least the basic principles of economic exchange and communication with the rest of the world.

"Who will be the main economic partners of the new Afghanistan, who will show readiness for cooperation, and on the other hand, whose interests will be articulated, remains to be seen", Pavić pointed out.

Asked whether the victory of the Taliban can encourage terrorism in the world, he said that there are many who are afraid and shy away from it.

"This includes the public of the state of India. From the very beginning and before taking control of the country, the Taliban were trying to leave the image that they are interested in changing the general opinion about them, to be a factor of cooperation, but it seems to me that the position of a serious number of countries is "we will believe it when it happens", concluded Pavić.

Source: Tanjug