The Baltic Blockade: A Political Detour for Fico's Moscow Trip
Airspace over the Baltic states has been shut down for a flight bound for Moscow, related to the travel plans of former Slovak prime minister Fico.
Wind up the tunes and re-route the plan - Slovakia's PM, Robert Fico, isn't flying the direct route to Moscow for World War II commemorations. Why, might you ask? Because the Baltic states tossed their keys to their airspace, refusing entry to his aircraft. Tough luck for ol' Fico, whose schedule's all a-wreck now.
Criticized for his chummy relations with Russia, the Baltic freeze-out left Fico and his plane no choice but to dance around Europe, avoiding the skies of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. From Bratislava, they soared northwards, skimming Hungary and Romania, then east over the Black Sea, Georgia, and finally into southern Russia's Dagestan region. Defiantly, Fico arrived in Moscow, warmly welcomed by a Russian delegation on telly[1].
Usually, flights between Europe and Russia traverse Lithuanian airspace. Back in 2021, European airlines nixed the Belarus route, heeding sanctions against Minsk after they forced a Western jet carrying a political enemy to land with military planes.
The Baltic boys didn't want any part of Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's celebration in Moscow[2]. Estonia outright refused, stating so publicly through their Foreign Minister. Latvia gave a chilly "nah" to Fico's flight, while Lithuania cut its heart out by vetoing any overflights. Fico couldn't hold back his frustration, causing a busy commotion on his Facebook page[2].
Among the eligible E.U. crowd, Fico's the sole attendee bound for Moscow's festivities on May 9. The red carpet's being rolled out for twenty-plus foreign VIPs, including China's esteemed President Xi Jinping. But EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas aired a warning to E.U. leaders, urging them to skirt Russia's military parade[3].
Sources: ntv.de, mdi/rts [1][2][3]
- Slovakia
- Baltics
- Moscow
- Russia
- World War II
- EU
- Despite Slovakia's Prime Minister, Robert Fico, having to alter his travel plans due to the Baltic states denying overflights, he managed to reach Moscow for World War II commemorations.
- The employment policy of the Baltic states, refusing entry to Fico's aircraft, led him to take an alternative route through Europe, steering clear of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
- Fico's employment policy, as well as the one of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, was not welcomed by the Baltic states during their celebration in Moscow.
- The community policy of the EU, especially emphasized by foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, urges leaders to avoid Russia's military parade, including the event in Moscow on May 9.
