Airspace over the Baltic States is shut down for Fico's flight to Moscow.
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Hey there! Let's chat about the recent hullabaloo surrounding Slovakia's Prime Minister, Robert Fico, and his ill-fated journey to Moscow.
Seems like old Robert found himself in a bit of a pickle, you see. He was all set to jet off to Moscow to celebrate the end of World War II, but things took a turn when the Baltic States decided to slam the door on Fico's aircraft. Yep, you heard that right – they closed their airspace!
Interestingly enough, airplane travel between Europe and Russia usually cruises through Lithuanian airspace. But wait a minute, didn't European airlines get wise to that back in 2021 and ditch the Belarus route due to sanctions? Well, that's how things went down. Anyhoo, with those shorter routes off the table, Fico's plane had no choice but to take the long way around.
So, instead of zooming over the Baltic States, Fico's jet hopped over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Georgia, and finally touched down in Russia's Dagestan region. From there, it was a swift flight up to Moscow, where the Prime Minister received a grand welcome from a Russian delegation.
As for the reason behind the Baltic States' snub, it looks like it's all part of the EU's ongoing beef with Russia, following the invasion of Ukraine. These countries refused to grant Fico and other European heads of state overflight rights, towing the EU line and locking the most direct routes to Moscow.
Despite the hassle and pressure from European partners to sit this one out, Fico stubbornly stuck to his guns, citing Slovakia's reliance on Russian gas and his disagreement with the EU's stance on Ukraine. So there you have it – a bit of international politics, some gravity-defying jet travel, and a stubborn Prime Minister. Quite the soap opera, eh?
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Sources: ntv.de, mdi/rts
Tags: Slovakia, Baltics, Moscow, Russia, World War II, EU, Politics
In the midst of international politics, Slovakia's Prime Minister, Robert Fico, experienced an unexpected detour during his trip to Moscow. Originally planning to fly over the Baltic States, he encountered a roadblock when these countries denied him overflight rights. As a result, Fico's aircraft took a longer route, passing over Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, and Georgia before landing in Dagestan. This decision by the Baltic States seems to be part of the ongoing tension between the EU and Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. Despite pressure from European partners, Fico maintained his stance, citing Slovakia's reliance on Russian gas and his disagreement with the EU's position on Ukraine. Remarkably, this event is reminiscent of the 2021 European aviation rule change that eliminated Belarus as a route option due to sanctions.
