Minsk - The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has urged airlines to avoid Belarus airspace following the country’s interception Sunday of a Ryanair jet bound for Lithuania and forced to land in Minsk. “The circumstances surrounding this action cast serious doubts on the respect shown by Belarus for international civil aviation rules,” the EASA said in a statement. “The actions undertaken by Belarus amounted to an increased safety risk for the above-mentioned flight and put into question the ability of Belarus to provide safe air navigation services.” Belarus, run by strongman President Alexander Lukashenko, sent a Mig-29 fighter to intercept the flight as it was crossing Belarusian airspace en route to neighbouring Lithuania. Citing a bomb threat, authorities forced the plane to land in capital Minsk. The airliner departed hours later after authorities had forcibly disembarked opposition blogger Roman Protasevich and his friend, in an action which Brussels decried as a hijacking and act of air piracy. As a result, European Union leaders agreed a range of sanctions against Belarus, including banning the country from the bloc’s airspace and airports. The EASA said that pending finalization of an international investigation into the incident.

, “operators having their principal place of business” in an EASA state “should avoid operations” in Belarus “unless the use of that airspace is deemed necessary to ensure safe operation in case of unforeseen circumstances.”
The agency also advised other airlines beyond its remit to do the same. At the same time the EASA said it did not believe the safety concern relating to the incident comprised an “unsafe condition” that would warrant a safety directive which would force airlines to comply.
The interception of the Ryanair plane is being widely regarded as a breach of the 1944 Chicago Convention establishing civil aviation rules. Minsk has been a convention signatory since 1993.