European Council to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent their access to EU airports  

The European Council strongly condemns the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk, Belarus, on 23 May 2021 endangering aviation safety, and the detention by Belarusian authorities of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega, according to European Council conclusions on Belarus, adopted during the special meeting of the Council.

The European Council:

– demands the immediate release of Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega and that their freedom of movement be guaranteed;

– calls on the International Civil Aviation Organization to urgently investigate this unprecedented and unacceptable incident;

– invites the Council to adopt additional listings of persons and entities as soon as possible on the basis of the relevant sanctions framework;

– calls on the Council to adopt further targeted economic sanctions and invites the High Representative and the Commission to submit proposals without delay to this end;

– calls on all EU-based carriers to avoid overflight of Belarus;

– calls on the Council to adopt the necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by such airlines;

– stands in solidarity with Latvia following the unjustified expulsion of Latvian diplomats.

Concerning Russia, the European Council condemned the illegal, provocative, and disruptive Russian activities against the EU, its Member States and beyond. It also reaffirmed the EU’s unity and solidarity in the face of such acts as well as its support to Eastern partners.

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Press release