Serbia to reduce number of flights to Moscow after criticism

Air Serbia will return to at least one flight a day to Moscow, the Serbian president stated, following criticism that the nation’s nationwide service is busting a European Union-wide ban on flights to Russia and making the most of the warfare in Ukraine.

For the reason that Russian invasion began over two weeks in the past, AirSerbia has doubled the variety of flights to the Russian capital and launched bigger plane to extend the variety of seats for what has turn into its most worthwhile vacation spot.

Beside some Turkish carriers, Serbia’s airline is the one European firm that has saved on flying to Russia because the worldwide flight ban was introduced after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. That triggered criticism from each the EU and Ukraine.

“Serbia is the one one in Europe with an open sky to Russia,” Ukrainian Deputy Overseas Minister Emine Dzheppar tweeted. “Getting cash on (Ukrainian) blood is unworthy of an EU candidate nation.”

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Serbia’s populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, stated Air Serbia will return to at least one flight to Moscow a day following “the witch hunt” towards his nation.

“And can those that are main the chase towards Serbia in reference to the flights to the capital of Russia be happy with that?” Vucic requested throughout a TV interview final night time.

An Air Serbia passenger aircraft flies over the “Previous railroad bridge” over Sava River, earlier than touchdown in Belgrade, Serbia, Aug. 6, 2021.
(AP Photograph/Darko Vojinovic, File)

Referring to Turkey, he complained that “nobody will contact these in NATO, who’re partly in Europe and partly in Asia, and have 30 instances extra flights to Moscow than Serbia.”

Vucic didn’t say when the flight discount will begin. There have been two Air Serbia flights scheduled for Moscow on Sunday.

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Regardless of formally searching for EU membership, Serbia has refused to introduce worldwide sanctions towards its ally Russia. EU officers have repeatedly warned Serbia that it should align itself with the bloc’s international insurance policies if it needs to affix.

Serbia’s dominant state-controlled media are unselectively carrying Moscow’s warfare propaganda, creating a powerful pro-Putin temper amongst Serbia’s ultranationalists and far-right teams.