Bulgaria has officially granted permission for a plane carrying Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to pass through its airspace on its way to Skopje for an OSCE Ministerial Council meeting scheduled from November 29 to December 1.

The approval, confirmed by the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, was sought by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia, which holds the OSCE Chairpersonship for 2023 and is hosting the 30th OSCE Ministerial Council.

The granted permit is specifically for the Rossiya Special Flight Squadron to transit Bulgarian airspace, facilitating the delegation's participation in the international forum in Skopje.

Outlined within the permission terms, the temporary authorization is valid for a duration of 3 hours preceding and 72 hours following the scheduled overflight time.

Significantly, this allowance specifically pertains to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's attendance at the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting and falls within exemptions from EU sanctions against him. Notably, the permission does not extend to other members of his delegation, who are also under sanctions, emphasized the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.