Slovak PM pushes ahead with Moscow visit despite pressure from Baltic states

Slovakia’s prime minister will skip the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow but is pressing ahead with plans to travel to Russia, despite mounting logistical challenges following the closure of Baltic airspace.

Instead, Prime Minister Robert Fico is expected to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a war memorial near the Kremlin, according to Slovak outlet Denník N, cited by Caliber.Az.

The report says Fico’s trip to Moscow will follow a planned visit to the Dachau concentration camp, located near Munich, Germany.

After news emerged that Fico intended to attend commemorations marking the end of World War II on May 9, Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania announced they would deny overflight clearance, arguing that standard EU and NATO procedures for official flights do not apply when airspace is used for travel to Russia.

By Nazrin Sadigova