Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ During today’s press briefing of the Operative Staff of the State Emergency Commission, Director General of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs L.Munkhtushig provided updates on the COVID-19 repatriation works of Mongolian citizens from overseas countries.

Repatriation of Mongolian citizens from the Russian Federation has taken place through Altanbulag border crossing port in Selenge aimag on August 7-10. 286 people have crossed the border to Mongolia in four days, 81 of them are Mongolian nationals and the rest are Russian teachers and staff, who are employed at educational institutions in Mongolia and their family members.

Currently, 160 people have made requests to return home from China and the government is planning to allow entry to them to Mongolia in the near future or around on August 18 through Zamyn-Uud border checkpoint.

Mongolia has planned to conduct 14 charter flights in August to bring around 4,000 citizens by air and pedestrian or auto vehicle border checkpoints. Out of them, some 1,700 people have arrived in Mongolia within the first 10 days of this month.

According to Mr. L.Munkhtushig, more than 12,700 citizens have submitted their requests to return home immediately from 55 countries so far. Over 17,211 citizens have been brought back from over 50 countries until today since border restrictions were imposed due to COVID-19. 

"I am expressing gratitude on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to individuals and NGOs who have been providing Mongolians, who are in difficult living conditions in 10 regions of the world, with shelter, food and other assistance," he said. 

Furthermore, a total of 250 Mongolians arrived home today, August 11, from the Czech Republic, on a charter flight from Prague with support from Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration program implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to help Mongolian nationals abroad to find their way safely back to their home country. The plane departed from Ulaanbaatar to Prague on August 10 with 80 Mongolian employees of Czech companies who hold long-term Czech visa.  

During today’s press briefing, information has been given on the charter flight arranged with financing from the European Union and the Government of the Czech Republic.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IOM has assisted 27 Mongolians to return to their home country. And IOM in Prague in cooperation with the Embassy of Mongolia in the Czech helped repatriating 185 citizens, who were on board today's flight. MNT 1.3 billion was required for the expenses of their flight tickets and 21-day mandatory isolation at government-designated facilities, 75 percent of which was funded by the European Union and 25 percent by the Czech government."

The 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the Czech Republic is being celebrated this year, and today’s charter flight in route Ulaanbaatar-Prague-Ulaanbaatar marks the first ever direct passenger flight between Mongolia and the Czech Republic.