Slovakia did not need to ask permission for its parliamentary delegation's aircraft to cross Latvian airspace - CAA

  • 2025-01-13
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - Slovakia did not need to request permission for its parliamentary delegation's Moscow-bound flight to cross Latvian airspace, LETA was told at the Latvian Civil Aviation Agency (CAA).

According to CAA representatives, the Slovakian delegation's flight used Latvian airspace in the status of state aircraft.

Under Latvia's government regulations for granting airspace use permits to public international entities, the permit, which is issued by the Foreign Ministry, is not needed for NATO and EU member states' aircraft that is used for the transportation of heads of state, parliament speakers, heads of government, foreign ministers and countries' official delegations.

The CAA explained that such aircraft are classified as state aircraft under the aviation law.

Latvijas Gaisa Satiksme (LGS), the company providing air navigation services in Latvia, also told LETA that the flight in question used Latvian airspace in the status of state aircraft, which means that it did not need permission from the Latvian authorities.

LGS informed that the Slovak aircraft had passed through the airspace of the Czech Republic, Germany and Sweden before entering Latvian airspace.

Slovakia is a member of both NATO and the EU.

As reported, a delegation of Slovak parliamentarians has arrived in Moscow on an official visit.

The delegation is led by Andrej Danko, the Vice Chairman of the Parliament and head of the Slovak National Party (SNS). The delegation also includes MPs of Smer-SD, the party of Slovakia's pro-Russia Prime Minister Robert Fico.

According to Danko, Poland did not let the delegation's aircraft to use its airspace, so the flight had to cross the Czech Republic, Germany.

A representative of the Polish Foreign Ministry said that the Slovak side had provided documentation that was not fully complete and, when requested to supply the required information, chose to alter their flight route.