Afghans, Skopje airport (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
A first group of 149 Afghans seeking to escape the Taliban rule had landed at the Skopje International Airport, it was said on Aug. 31.
According to the Skopje government, this group comprises the Afghans whose lives are in danger from the Taliban, that is, those who have for 20 years worked for democratic institutions, missions and international organizations in Afghanistan.
The plane which touched down at the Skopje airport before midnight on Aug. 30, was welcomed by North Macedonian’s Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani. The Afghans will be accommodated in hotels on the outskirts of Skopje, where they will undergo medical examinations.
Speaking to a large number of reporters, Osmani explained that the incoming Afghans had been employed with international organizations such as the Open Government Partnership (OGP), Transparency International, the World Economic Forum, and other partner organizations. He added that they had come with their family members.
Osmani further said that the Skopje government had so far accepted to receive around 750 Afghans fleeing the Taliban, for whom requests had been filed. All the refugees, according to announcements, will be granted a 90-day temporary stay in North Macedonia, after which they will be heading to other countries or the U.S.
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