Fico discusses potential strategies for visiting Moscow.
Article Rewrite:
Moscow, May 9 - RIA Novosti. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico found himself in a pickle when his plane was barred from flying over the Baltic States en route to Russia. He considered radical options like traveling to Russia by car through Belarus as an alternative.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Fico disclosed that Estonia refused a special Slovak aircraft passage over its territory, pushing him to devise an alternate route. Fico viewed this as a deliberate move to disrupt his tour of Russia. Slovak newspaper Pravda reported that not just Estonia, but Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia had denied the flight of Slovak government aircraft over their respective territories. Fico eventually made it to Russia on Thursday, and on Friday morning, he joined the Victory Day celebrations.
"We had multiple routes to reach here (Russia). Even a road trip through Belarus was an option. Another plan was via Kaliningrad. There were plenty of possibilities, but we had a clear goal—we had to be in Moscow at 9 a.m., and we nailed it," Fico stated during his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Why the commotion? The ban on the Slovakian aircraft was attributed to several factors. Lithuania expressed concerns over security, while Latvia and Estonia pointed out the political sensitivity surrounding the flight [1][3][4]. Moreover, the decision was also impacted by on-going EU sanctions and policy towards Russia, triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This aligns with the broader EU stance, avoiding public participation in events in Russia [2]. Lastly, the visit sparked opposition among Slovakian parties, who considered it a breach of allied trust and a misstep in Slovakia's foreign policy [1].
In the end, Fico's aircraft opted for a longer route, flying over Turkey and Azerbaijan before entering Russia via Dagestan [2].
- Despite the obstacles, Prime Minister Fico's aircraft ultimately flew over Turkey and Azerbaijan on its way to Russia via Dagestan, bypassing the Baltic States.
- The president of Lithuania expressed security concerns during the Slovak prime minister's flight over their territory, suggesting a possible factor for the ban.
- In addition to security, political sensitivity was also a stated reason for Latvia and Estonia denying the Slovak government aircraft passage over their territories.
- Slovak politics were in turmoil as the visit to Russia was met with opposition from several Slovakian parties, who deemed it a breach of allied trust and a misstep in Slovakia's foreign policy.
