EU officials have adopted a plan banning Belarusian airlines from flying over the Union or landing at European airports, Reuters and AFP reported.
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The EU’s decision is part of planned punitive measures against Minsk in response to a decision by Belarusian authorities to send a fighter jet on May 23 to force a Ryanair flight to land in the Belarusian capital. On board was opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, who was arrested along with his girlfriend, Russian citizen Sofia Sapega.
The decision will take effect today at 22:00 GMT.
The EU recommends that European airlines avoid flying over Belarus, but the ban is not legally binding. On Wednesday, the EU Civil Aviation Safety Agency issued a directive requiring European aircraft to avoid flying through Belarusian airspace except in an emergency.
The Belarusian airline Belavia operates flights to about 20 airports in Europe. Compliance with the ban will be the job of national governments, many of which are members of NATO.
In addition, the EU is preparing a series of sanctions against individuals and legal entities involved in the diversion of Ryanair’s flight or the crackdown on the opposition. Economic sanctions against key sectors of the Belarusian economy are being discussed.
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