Slovak Prime Minister alleges a European nation is impeding his trip to Moscow.
Rewritten Article:
In a heated exchange, Slovakia's prime minister, Robert Fico, speaks out against Estonia's meddling in his scheduled visit to Moscow for the 80th anniversary Victory Day parade. Estonia's obstinate move blocked Slovakia's aerial access, turning heads across Europe.
Gearing up for the commemorative event, Fico embarked on a diplomatic tour to Moscow, only to face unexpected turbulence from Estonia. The Baltic nation's foreign minister, Margus Tsahkna, publicly declared Russia as the instigator of a war still brewing in Europe, and EU representatives ought to stay away from Russian propaganda events like these[1][2][3].
Taking to social media, Fico shared a video message, lamenting the Estonian government's actions as a deliberate tactic to thwart his Moscow visit on May 9[4]. Expressing his disappointment, he referred to the airspace closure as severely disruptive, bringing his participation in the celebratory events on Thursday night into question.
Eager to reach Moscow, the Slovakian government has begun the search for alternative routes for Fico to traverse, ensuring his attendance at the wreath-laying ceremony and parade on Friday[5].
Meanwhile, the Russian parliament's vice speaker, Konstantin Kosachev, deemed Estonia's move towards Fico as hostility aimed directly against Russia and its allies[6]. Kosachev believes the Baltic states are yet to reconcile with the outcomes of World War II, viewing May 9 not as a day of victory, but as their own defeat[6].
Notably, Estonia's reluctance to support the Victory Day parade mirrors the stance taken by Latvia and Lithuania, who denied Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's flight access earlier. Vucic ultimately made his way to Moscow via alternate routes, navigating through Bulgaria, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia[5].
References:1: Estonia's foreign ministry website2: Baltic Sunday newspaper article3: CBS News article4: Prime Minister Fico's Facebook post5: AP News article6: Argumenty I Fakty newspaper article
- Despite the Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna's accusations against Russia, Slovakia's President Robert Fico expressed disappointment over Estonia blocking his aerial access to Moscow for the 80th anniversary Victory Day parade.
- In a heated social media post, President Fico stated that Estonia's obstinate move towards blocking his Moscow visit on May 9 is a deliberate tactic that has disrupted his participation in the celebratory events.
- The anniversary of the Victory Day parade has become a point of contention in European politics, with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania refusing to support the event, similar to the stance taken by these countries when denying Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's flight access earlier.
- In the face of Estonia's stance, the Slovakian government is actively seeking alternative routes to ensure President Fico's attendance at the wreath-laying ceremony and parade in Moscow.
