So-Called EU Prime Minister Facing Detour Thanks to Baltic Airspace Snub
Airspace over the Baltic States has been shut down for a flight bound for Moscow, belonging to Slovakian politician Fico.
Here's a twist: Robert Fico, the only EU head of government, with an infamous Russia-cuddling reputation, finds himself facing a roadblock - quite literally. His scheduled flight to Moscow for World War II commemorations hits a snag as the Baltic states refuse to let his plane fly over their airspace.
Bucket of trouble! AirNav reveals that Fico's government aircraft sourced lift-off from Bratislava airport in the afternoon, following a circuitous route over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and finally Russia's Dagestan region. The jet eventually touched down in Moscow, albeit a tad later than planned [1].
Normally, aircraft bound for Russia from Europe would zip through Lithuanian airspace. However, in 2021, European airlines steered clear due to sanctions against the Minsk government, avoiding the Belarusian route.
The Baltic states were quick to announce their retaliation, with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stating publically that he would block Fico and Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic overflights. Latvia echoed Nauseda's sentiments, refusing to entertain flights destined for Moscow's celebrations. Estonia carried the baton, with Fico reporting on his Facebook page that they refused his request to fly over their airspace, making his travel schedule a veritable jigsaw puzzle [2].
Despite the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urging EU leaders to keep their distance from Russia's military ceremonies on May 9, Fico will be among more than two dozen foreign dignitaries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, participating in the parade [3].
Flags Flying: Slovakia, Baltics, Moscow, Russia, World War II, EU
- Baltic Blitz: Baltic states block overflights to show resistance against Russia's alleged rogue moves.
- The Great Game: Geopolitical consequences of European leaders attending Moscow celebrations.
- Rogue Routine: A look at the usual air travel route between Europe and Russia.
[1] ntv.de[2] mdi/rts[3] (Not available due to space constraints, but if room, information on political tensions, diplomatic considerations, and criticism of Russia's actions would be useful here.)
- The community policy of Slovakia, governed by Robert Fico, faced unfortunate circumstances when his flight to Moscow for World War II commemorations was rerouted due to the Baltic states' refusal to allow airspace passage.
- In response to Fico's predicament, the Slovakia government aircraft navigated an extended route over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and Russia's Dagestan region instead of the usual Baltic airspace.
- The European Union's emploment policy plays a significant role in these circumstances, with many European airlines altering their routes in 2021 to circumvent Belarusian airspace due to sanctions against the Minsk government.
- In the context of geopolitics, the employment policy of the Baltic states, including Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, has served as a clear demonstration of their resistance against Russia's alleged rogue moves, following Fico's struggles with overflight approval for his flight.
