Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Ossetia expressed concern about the sharply increasing frequency of violations of the airspace of the Republic of South Ossetia.
“According to the competent authorities of South Ossetia, in the period from January 1 to April 4, 2021, 133 flights of foreign aircraft were recorded over the airspace of the Republic of South Ossetia at altitudes of 9 thousand meters. Including: in January - 35 cases, in February - 69, in March - 28, in April - 1 case. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Ossetia has been authorized to declare its extreme concern over the facts of these flights, which carry a potential threat to the security of South Ossetia,” the Foreign Ministry said in the statement.
They associate the increasing violations of the Republic's airspace with Georgia's accession from December 8, 2020 to the agreement on the European Common Aviation Area, which implies the use of free routing of airspace (Free-Route Airspace, FRA).
“There is no doubt that Georgia is trying to use this agreement as a political instrument to legitimize its illegal claims.
The Republic of South Ossetia is a sovereign independent state and is not part of Georgia, nor is it burdened with obligations under the agreement on the European Common Aviation Area, and therefore regards any flights over its territory as a gross violation of the country's sovereignty,” the Foreign Ministry stressed.
