“We welcomed today our fellow citizens who were repatriated from the Middle East along with their companion animals,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a post this Saturday afternoon (21.03.2026) about the meeting he had earlier at the Maximou Mansion.
Recall that the Greeks were repatriated from the Middle East along with their pets through the special flight organised by the Foreign Ministry in cooperation with Aegean, and Kyriakos Mitsotakis was keen to meet them.
“We are very happy to have you here, I must tell you that this was one of the most difficult missions that we organized, but I think that as a person who has animals, I cannot imagine how one could leave without taking their animals with them,” the Prime Minister said.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke to the repatriates about their experiences, noting that Greece was the first country to ensure the safe removal of pets from the Gulf region.
“I must tell you that we have set a precedent because we were the first country to do such a mission,” he said, estimating that other countries are now considering moving in the same direction.
During the meeting, the challenges and difficulties of such evacuation operations were discussed, with the Prime Minister stressing that the Foreign Ministry has been involved from the very first moment in organising itineraries for the return of Greek citizens.
“Our first priority has always been the safety of Greeks and the possibility for those who wanted to return, and of course to return with their pets,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.
