Slovak Prime Minister Scores a Detour Due to Baltic States Blocking Airspace for Moscow Trip
Airspace over the Baltic States is denied to Fico's flight to Moscow.
Hit the long road! Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is facing an unexpected detour as the Baltic states make a diplomatic stance by slamming their airspace shut for his plane on its way to Moscow for World War II commemorations. This unexpected roadblock is causing a headache for his schedule.
Fico, known for his Russia-friendly stance, has been forced to take a more roundabout route for the World War II end celebrations. The Baltic states, with some bothersome heckling, have barred his aircraft from flying through their airspace. According to the AirNav website, Fico's government plane took off from Bratislava airport in the afternoon and is due to hit the tarmac in Moscow at around 21:30 local time (20:30 CET). The journey will involve a cross-country trek through Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and then into Russia's Dagestan.
Normally, European aviation navigates through Lithuanian airspace for Moscow-bound flights. But in 2021, airlines were cautioned against the shorter route over Belarus as part of sanctions against the Minsk government, which had the audacity to strong-arm a Western plane carrying a political opponent to ground it with a military jet.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Latvia came out swinging with a punch, flat-out denying Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's flights to Moscow. Estonia, stomping its foot, also confirmed that it wouldn't OK flights for the Moscow shindig. Fico made a public post on his Facebook page about the snag, commenting, "This significantly complicates our schedule."
Fico is the only EU head of state or government attending the Moscow celebrations on May 9. Over two dozen foreign dignitaries, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, are eager to join the parade. Fico is still planning the trip despite the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urging EU leaders not to partake in Russia's military festivities.
[1] Source: ntv.de, mdi/rts
- Slovakia
- Baltics
- Moscow
- Russia
- World War II
- EU
Insights:
The Baltic states' blocking of airspace for Slovak Prime Minister Fico's flight to Moscow is part of a united stance among Western leaders, discouraging attendance at Russian-organized events commemorating Victory Day during a time of heightened tensions over Ukraine. This move effectively forced Fico's plane to take a longer, southern route rather than the usual path over the Baltics.
- Slovakia's Prime Minister, Robert Fico, faces a scheduling challenge due to the Baltic states' decision to deny airspace access for his journey to Moscow, a change in route prompted by their diplomatic stance.
- As Fico's plane navigates a roundabout path to Moscow for World War II end celebrations, it will pass through unexpected territories such as Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and Russia's Dagestan, bypassing the usual Lithuanian airspace due to the Baltic states' preventive measures.
- This airspace blockade among the Baltics is one facet of a broader Western leaders' united stance discouraging attendance at Russian-organized events commemorating Victory Day.
- Despite the European Union foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, urging EU leaders not to attend Russia's military festivities, Slovakia's Fico persists with his plans to join the Moscow celebrations, making him the only EU head of state or government to do so on May 9.
- The Baltic states' decision to deny airspace access for Slovak and Serbian leaders' flights to Moscow is indicative of the heightened tensions over Ukraine, with Western leaders choosing to take a unified stand in the face of Russia's military activities.
