Robert Fico is flying to Moscow, bypassing the Baltic states and Poland
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and the Slovak delegation will be flying to Moscow via a longer route through the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and Finland. This was reported by the Slovak publication Marker, citing a source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The change of route is due to the fact that Estonia, as well as the other Baltic states and Poland, have not granted permission for the aircraft to fly over their territory. Fico is travelling to Moscow for events marking the 81st anniversary of the end of the Second World War. As was the case last year, he will not be taking part in the military parade.
According to Marker, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and Finland have not raised any objections to the use of their airspace for the Slovak aircraft’s flight to Moscow. The publication also reports that some Western politicians are interested in exchanging information regarding the negotiations.
Estonia has taken the toughest stance on the overflight. The country’s Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, stated that Fico will once again not be granted permission to fly through Estonian airspace on his way to Moscow.
“Fico will once again not be granted permission to fly through Estonian airspace on his way to Moscow, where he is due to take part in an event on 9 May that serves to glorify the aggressor. We refused last year and the same principle applies now,” said Tsahkna.
Robert Fico had already reported on the refusals by Lithuania and Latvia back in April.
“Lithuania and Latvia have already informed us that they will not allow a flight over their territory en route to Moscow. Well, European Union member states are not allowing the prime minister of another EU country to fly over their territory,” the Slovak prime minister stated at the time.
Poland’s position has not been officially announced, but its disagreement was conveyed on a personal level.
In Germany, where Robert Fico is currently on a bilateral visit to Bavaria. According to diplomatic sources, the Bavarian side is interested in closer contacts with the Slovak government.
The report states that one of the factors is the cessation, from 1 May, of oil supplies via the northern branch of the Druzhba pipeline. Formally, the oil was designated as Kazakhstani, but in fact it was Russian oil.
The complete cessation of supplies via Druzhba accounts for around 17 per cent of the 12 million tonnes of oil processed annually by the German PCK refinery in Schwedt. Fuel from this plant meets up to 90 per cent of the demand for vehicles in Berlin and Brandenburg.
Last year, Robert Fico flew to Moscow via Hungary, Romania and the Black Sea region, and travelled via Turkey for his first meeting with Vladimir Putin.
Fico remains the only European Union politician who maintains regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. During his visit to Moscow, he is scheduled to lay flowers in memory of war victims and hold bilateral talks with Putin.
