Title: Baltic States Shut Down Airspace to Fico's Flight to Moscow, Causing Delays and Diplomatic Tension
A Quick Look:
- Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico faces logistical challenges while heading to Moscow for World War II commemorations as the Baltic states refuse to allow his plane to fly over their airspace.
- Relating to EU policies and sanctions against Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia deny overflight rights, causing Fico's route to take a significant detour.
- Fico, who supports pro-Russian views and ignores EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas's advice to abstain from Russia's military celebrations, criticizes these moves as complications and a display of sovereignty.
A Deeper Dive:
Airspace over the Baltic region denies access to Fico's Moscow-bound flight.
The notorious Slovakian Prime Minister, Robert Fico—famed for his pro-Russian stance—has found himself faced with unexpected challenges during his planned flight to Moscow for World War II commemorations. The Baltic trio of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia has blocked the airspace for his flight, leading to a complicated routing that added to his schedule woes.
As stated on the AirNav website, Fico's government plane departed from Bratislava airport in the afternoon and deemed to land in Moscow at 21:30 local time (20:30 CET). The original flight path would have taken it over Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, and Russia. However, the Baltic states’ decision to close their airspace compels Fico's plane to circumnavigate these countries, traveling over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and then Russia's Dagestan before finally reaching Moscow.
Flights between Russia and Europe typically fly over Lithuanian airspace. This is due to an advisory issued in 2021 to European airlines to avoid the route over Belarus. The decision was based on sanctions against the Minsk government that forced a Western plane carrying a political opponent to land with a fighter jet [1].
Lithuania had publicly announced that it would bar Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic from flying over its territory to Moscow. Latvia also stated its disapproval of any flights heading to Moscow's celebrations. Estonia joined in the decision as well, solidifying the restrictive measures. In response, Fico remarked on his Facebook page that "Estonia has informed us it will not allow us to fly over its territory, substantially complicating our schedule."
Fico is the sole head of state or government from the European Union (EU) participating in Moscow's May 9 commemorations. More than two dozen foreign dignitaries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, will take part in the parade. In defiance of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas's pleas not to participate in Russia's military celebrations, Fico decided to attend Moscow despite the complications [1].
Sources:
- ntv.de
- mdi/rts
Expand Your Knowledge:
- The Baltic states' move to close airspace to Fico's flight is a potent display of solidarity with Ukraine and the European Union's ongoing sanctions against Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine and related geopolitical tensions [1][2].
- Poland also closed its airspace to Fico's flight, augmenting the restrictions imposed by the Baltic states [3].
- Ukraine's airspace is off-limits to flights from Slovakia to Russia, necessitating a lengthy southern route over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and Russia [2][3].
- The Community policy regarding airspace restrictions was put to test when Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico encountered problems while traveling to Moscow due to the Baltic states' denial of overflight rights according to EU employment policy and sanctions against Russia.
- WhatsApp became a platform for expressing discontent as Prime Minister Fico, who supports pro-Russian views and disregarded EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas's advice to abstain from the Russia military celebrations, criticized the Baltic states' moves, terming them complications and a display of sovereignty.
- In Bratislava, the usual flight route for flights between Russia and Europe was altered following the Baltic states' decision to close their airspace, forcing Fico's plane to take a significant detour over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and Russia's Dagestan before reaching Moscow.
- Politicians from across Europe, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, will participate in Moscow's May 9 commemorations, with Fico being the sole head of state or government from the European Union (EU) to attend despite the diplomatic tension and general-news related complications.
