NEWS FLASH
Slovenia’s Prime Minister Robert Golob has called for an investigation into the permit granted to Israeli airline Israir, which maintains seasonal flights between Tel Aviv and Ljubljana. This move follows public criticism and pressure from coalition partners and NGOs, who argue that the permit contradicts Slovenia's stance on Israel's actions in Gaza. Israir began operating charter flights to the Slovenian capital in 2021, followed by scheduled services from 2022.
Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek stated that Israir’s permit to operate flights to Slovenia, which was renewed this February, was granted in accordance with existing legislation, which did not allow for any other decision. However, the Infrastructure Ministry acknowledged the concerns raised and has reached out to the Foreign Ministry to inquire about the legal basis for potentially revoking Israir's permit or refraining from issuing new permits, even if the airline meets aviation safety and security requirements. The Ministry stated that it would act accordingly should new facts emerge that would enable a different course of action.
Additionally, the Ministry noted that Israir operates flights to thirteen other European Union member states, including Italy, Austria, Germany, Spain and Greece, and to their knowledge, no EU country has refused to grant approval for Israeli airlines to operate scheduled international flights. In 2024, Israir handled 14.467 passengers on its Ljubljana service.