A Whacky Detour: Baltic Nations Snub Slovak PM's Flight to Moscow
Airspace of Baltic countries denied for flight headed to Moscow of Slovakia's former Prime Minister Fico.
Hey there! Let's talk about the Slavic dance of diplomacy over Prime Minister Robert Fico's journey to Moscow for World War II commemorations.
Being the only EU head honcho joining the bash in Moscow, Fico found his travel plans hit a snag as the Baltic nations slammed the door on his plane's skybound passage. He had to take a scenic detour instead, meandering over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and Dagestan before landing in Moscow.
The AirNav website watched the government aircraft depart from Bratislava airport in the afternoon. Defying the usual Lithuanian airspace route due to security advisories, the plane followed the long-winded course. Apparently, European airlines were advised to steer clear of Belarus' airspace since 2021, thanks to its unruly government forcing a jet carrying an opponent politico to land like a shot bird.
Booed by the EU foreign policy head Kaja Kallas, Fico still decided to roll with the Moscow momentum. Now, the Baltic nations weren't feeling that groovy about it.
Lithuania's President Gitanas Nausėda stole the spotlight with his announcements to block overflights for Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Latvia also declared a no-fly zone for the Moscow festivities, followed by Estonia confirming they wouldn't let the plane fly over their turf. Fico himself echoed the challenging situation via his Facebook page.
With over two dozen foreign dignitaries, including China's Prez Xi Jinping, jumping into the parade, Fico remained undeterred in his commitment to the Moscow gig.
- Slovakia
- Baltics
- Moscow
- Russia
- World War II
- EU
Notes:
- The Baltic nations blocked airspace for Fico due to security concerns, political disagreements, and attempts to obstruct his visit as a show of solidarity with EU policies concerning Russia.
- Fico's attendance at the Moscow event faced criticism from EU leaders, including the foreign policy chief, who urged them not to participate in Russia's military celebrations due to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
- Tensions between the Baltic nations and Slovakia escalated over Slovakia's stance on Russia, particularly its dependency on Russian gas and Fico's vocal criticism of Brussels' support for Ukraine.
- The Baltic nations, including Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, block overflights for Slovakia's government aircraft heading to Moscow due to political disagreements and a show of solidarity with EU policies concerning Russia.
- Slovakia's Prime Minister, Robert Fico, faces criticism from EU leaders, such as the foreign policy chief, who urge him not to participate in Russia's military celebrations due to Russia's actions in Ukraine.
- Despite criticism and airspace blocks from the Baltic nations, Slovakia, along with 24 other foreign dignitaries, attends World War II commemorations in Moscow, including China's President Xi Jinping.
- The Slovakia-Russia relationship has been strained due to Slovakia's dependency on Russian gas and Prime Minister Fico's vocal criticism of Brussels' support for Ukraine, resulting in tensions with the Baltic nations.
