Belgium Closes Airspace for One Hour: Slovak PM Fico Forced to Return

belgium - Belgium's airspace was closed for an hour due to air traffic control issues, causing Slovak Prime Minister Fico to return to his country.

Belgium Faces Air Traffic Control Disruption

Belgium's airspace was shut down for an hour due to technical issues in the main computer system of air traffic control provider Skeyes. This led to many flights being redirected to other countries, including Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico's plane. Fico, who was planning to meet with EU leaders, had to cancel his trip back to Slovakia. The closure of Brussels airspace caused delays and diversions affecting high-profile figures like EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen.

Technical Glitch Causes Chaos

Brussels Airport spokesman stated that the airspace over Brussels was closed for about an hour due to an unspecified technical glitch. The disruption forced pilots to circle over Brussels for at least an hour and a half, leading to the cancellation of scheduled meetings.

Prime Minister Fico's Response

Prime Minister Fico, speaking on the return flight to Bratislava, expressed his disappointment over the situation, emphasizing the economic importance of discussing the halt in Russian gas supplies with Von der Leyen and Jorgensen. Despite the setback, Fico plans to return to Brussels for the informal EU Leaders Summit on Monday.