Skipping Slovakia's Prime Minister Fico's Flight Over Baltic Airspace for Moscow Trip
Airspace over the Baltic region is denied for flight bound for Moscow, affecting travel plans of former Slovak PM Fico.
Get ready for a bumpy ride, Slovakia's PM Robert Fico! The Baltic states have pulled the plug on your aircraft's flight path to Moscow for World War II celebrations. Yep, you'll need to navigate a detour due to their refusal to let your plane fly over their airspace.
Fico, known for his Russia-friendly stance, is catching flak as a result. Normally, planes headed to Moscow from Europe pass through Lithuanian airspace. But not this time, mate! European airlines have been steering clear of the Belarus route since 2021, following sanctions against the Minsk government that forced a Western plane transporting a political opponent to make an unplanned landing [1][2][4].
So, your government jet took off from Bratislava Airport and is expected to reach Moscow around 21:30 local time (20:30 CET), hopefully steering clear of any troubles. The plane may pass over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and then on to Russia's Dagestan region [2][3].
Fico is the lone EU head at the Moscow celebrations on May 9, where more than two dozen foreign dignitaries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, will participate in the parade [3]. Despite EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urging EU leaders to skip Russia's military parade, Fico is still heading to Moscow [3].
The Baltic states are standing firm in their decision to deny overflight rights for Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, citing EU sanctions and policies against Russia [1][2][5]. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have issued the ban, reflecting the broader EU stance that refrains from attending or supporting Russian state events in protest of Russia's aggressive behavior towards Ukraine [3].
Poland also joined the banwagon, causing quite a headache for Fico's travel arrangements [3]. The airspace closure forced your plane to embark on a longer route, approximately doubling the usual 2.5-hour flight time [2][3].
Fico has addressed this complex situation with a bit of sarcasm, calling it an "especially difficult disruption" to his schedule, and describing the bans as a "strange demonstration of sovereignty," while expressing an intention to maintain diplomatic ties with Russia despite the heat from the EU [3][4].
Sources: ntv.de, mdi/rts, DW, Reuters, Politico
- Slovakia
- Baltics
- Moscow
- Russia
- World War II
- EU
- Poland
- Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, known for his Russia-friendly stance, is experiencing a flight disruption over the Baltic airspace as they refuse his plane's overflight rights for his trip to Moscow.
- The European Union has implemented sanctions against Russia, leading the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) to follow a policy of denying overflight rights to people like Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.
- Fico's government jet is expected to take a longer route, passing over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and then on to Russia's Dagestan region, due to the airspace closure by the Baltic states.
- Despite the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urging EU leaders to skip Russia's military parade, Slovakia remains the lone EU head attending the event in Moscow on May 9, following a policy different from the broader EU stance.
