US EditionBaltics block Slovakia's Fico from using airspace to get to Russia for May 9
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia said they will not let Fico fly through their airspace, forcing him to find another route to Moscow.
- On Saturday, April 18, Lithuania and Latvia announced they will not allow Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico to fly through their territories to Moscow for Russia's Victory Day celebrations in May.
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban are widely regarded as Russia's closest allies within the European Union, with Fico attending the Moscow celebration last year despite boycott calls.
- Criticizing the airspace ban, Fico stated, "Member states of the European Union do not allow the Prime Minister of another member state of the European Union to fly to these territories."
- Fico stated he will "definitely find another route" to Moscow, noting he faced similar restrictions when Estonia blocked his flight path last year.
- Slovakia has threatened to veto the European Union's 20th sanctions package against Russia unless Bratislava receives assurances regarding the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Russian oil via Ukraine.
39 Articles
39 Articles
Fico previously announced that he would not receive permission from Vilnius or Riga.
Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico's plans to take part in the 9 May Moscow parade hit the decision of three Baltic states to close the air space, in a diplomatic context already tense between Russia and the West.
Slovak prime minister says Lithuania and Latvia blocked his flight to Moscow parade for second year
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says he planned to attend a Moscow parade in May, but Lithuania and Latvia have denied his plane passage through their airspace for the second year in a row. Fico made the remarks in a video address shared on Facebook. “Lithuania and Latvia have already informed us they will not allow passage through their territories on the way to Moscow,” Fico said. The Slovak leader added that he will find an alternative rout…
Die Presse
Augsburger AllgemeineSlovak Prime Minister Robert Fico wants to travel to the "Day of Victory" Parade in Morskau. As in the previous year, he will be refused an overflight in the Baltic States.
The authorities of Latvia and Lithuania will not allow the aircraft of Prime Minister Robert Fitso of Slovakia to use their airspace to fly to Moscow and take part in a military parade on the occasion of 9 May, said Fitso himself.
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