{"id":174286,"date":"2026-02-04T18:28:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T15:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/174286\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"icao-experts-in-belarus-for-civil-aviation-safety-review","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/174286\/","title":{"rendered":"ICAO experts in Belarus for civil aviation safety review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

February 4, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>A group of experts of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is staying in Belarus, the country\u2019s transport ministry reported on February 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The objective of the visit is to conduct an audit and inspection of the state flight safety oversight system for civil aviation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While meeting with the group, Transport Minister Alaksiej Lachnovi\u010d insisted that Belarus strictly complies with the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, incorporating them into national legislation, and that ensuring flight safety is the country\u2019s priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Lachnovi\u010d, Belarus supports ICAO\u2019s initiatives aimed at creating an efficient state oversight system for ensuring flight safety and at making global civil aviation environmentally sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On May 23, 2021, Belarusian security forces cited a false bomb threat to divert a passenger aircraft en route from Athens to Vilnius and arrest journalist Raman Pratasievi\u010d and Russian national Sofiya Sapega. Both were convicted in Belarus, but pardoned and released later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sanctions were imposed on the Belarusian state airline Bie\u0142avija following the incident. It was never properly investigated because Belarusian officials denied international experts access to key evidence and witnesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ICAO Council determined that the bomb threat against Ryanair Flight 4978 \u201cwas deliberately false and endangered its safety, and furthermore that the threat was communicated to the flight crew upon the instructions of senior government officials of Belarus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs neither a bomb nor evidence of its existence was found during pre-departure screening in Athens, Greece, and after various searches of the aircraft in Belarus and Lithuania, it is considered that the bomb threat was deliberately false. Knowingly communicating false information which endangers the safety of an aircraft in flight is an offence under Article 1 (1) (e) of the Montr\u00e9al Convention,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka later dismissed the report as a fabrication, urging ICAO to \u201clet it slide\u201d and \u201cnot bother with the details.\u201d On October 31, 2025, \u0141uka\u0161enka claimed that Pratasievi\u010d worked for the Belarusian intelligence services at the time of his arrest. Ivan Tertel, head of Belarus\u2019 Committee for State Security (KGB), reiterated the claim on December 24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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