Media reports say the European Union urged all EU-based airlines to avoid Belarus airspace on Monday after the country diverted a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius, Lithuania in order to arrest a dissident journalist who was on the plane on Sunday.
Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko reportedly released a statement on Sunday saying that he personally ordered the diversion of the plane and the arrest of the journalist, who has been living in exile in Lithuania since 2019.
The EU has also banned airlines from Belarus from entering European airspace or landing in any of Europe’s airports, leaving the country further isolated from Western Europe.
The BBC says Belavia currently flies to 26 EU destinations including Paris, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Rome, Stockholm and Warsaw.
Lithuania, the final destination of the Ryanair flight, has called on EU leaders to issue a joint recommendation to suspend all flights by EU airlines over Belarus airspace.
Meanwhile, many predict that the diversion will make travel from Europe to Asia much more difficult.
Many experts note that the move to ban Belarus from European airspace will be followed by heavy sanctions.
Recall, the EU imposed sanctions against Belarus on October 1, 2020, in response to the “brutality of the Belarusian authorities and in support of the democratic rights of the Belarusian people.”
These restrictions – a travel ban and asset freeze against individuals associated with the government of Mr. Lukashenko – have since been expanded to include 88 individuals and seven organizations.
Those on the list are forbidden from entering or transiting through EU territories and their assets in the EU are frozen. In addition, EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to any individual and company on the list.
