Rupel forbidden to fly over Serbian airspace

Returning from a tour of the Balkans, Dimitrij Rupel was prohibited from flying over Serbian airspace. Despite having initially received permission to return to Ljubljana from Pristina via Serbia, the decision was overturned at the last moment. Rupel forbidden to fly over Serbian airspace As part of his tour, the Slovenian foreign minister had visited Belgrade, Skopje and Pristina. However, his flight last night across Serbian airspace was not approved. The pilot informed Rupel at the airport that Rupel, in spite of having earlier received approval for the flight on diplomatic grounds, the flight via Serbia had not been permitted, and that he should seek an alternative route to Slovenia, reported the state press agency STA. The pilot explained that this often happened with flights from Pristina, possibly because the airspace above Kosovo was controlled by UNMIK, and not Serbia. The minister called Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic to explain to him what had occurred, to which Jeremic replied that there had maybe been technical problems, and promised to intervene, said STA. The plane took off 15 minutes late, and the flight took slightly longer than usual, having to fly over Albania, Montenegro, and Croatia, instead of straight over Serbia.

Rupel forbidden to fly over Serbian airspace

As part of his tour, the Slovenian foreign minister had visited Belgrade, Skopje and Priština. However, his flight last night across Serbian airspace was not approved. The pilot informed Rupel at the airport that Rupel, in spite of having earlier received approval for the flight on diplomatic grounds, the flight via Serbia had not been permitted, and that he should seek an alternative route to Slovenia, reported the state press agency STA.

The pilot explained that this often happened with flights from Priština, possibly because the airspace above Kosovo was controlled by UNMIK, and not Serbia.

The minister called Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić to explain to him what had occurred, to which Jeremić replied that there had maybe been technical problems, and promised to intervene, said STA.

The plane took off 15 minutes late, and the flight took slightly longer than usual, having to fly over Albania, Montenegro, and Croatia, instead of straight over Serbia.