Photo: ANP
When asked, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said the Foreign Ministry “does not believe it is necessary at this time” to send staff to Greece due to the Rhodes bushfires. The ministry has not yet received any requests for assistance, and confirms that it is cooperating with the Greek authorities, other European countries and travel agencies.
Belgium and the United Kingdom, among others, sent reinforcements to Greece. “If our presence in Rhodes is necessary at a later date, we can quickly send our colleagues,” Foreign Affairs said.
The island of Rhodes, popular among tourists, has been fighting forest fires for days. Thousands of people, many of them tourists, have been evacuated. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises Dutch people already in Rhodes to contact their travel organizations and follow the instructions of the local authorities. If necessary, they can call the Netherlands Call Center around the world. People can ask for advice there.
Belgium sent an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide assistance to the Belgians on the island. The British government has decided to deploy a special team of five Foreign Office staff and four Red Cross aid workers to support British citizens. The team will be based at Rhodes International Airport.
