Slovenia grants Israeli airline Israir permit for Tel Aviv-Ljubljana flights

Slovenian Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec has issued a permit to the Israeli airline Israir, allowing flights between Tel Aviv and Ljubljana. Vrtovec announced the decision on social media platform X, stating that he fulfilled his promise immediately after taking office.

The flights, scheduled to operate three times weekly until October, had become a point of contention. Israir had previously alleged that Slovenian authorities had politically motivatedly denied their landing permits, especially after one of their planes was diverted to Zagreb. The Ministry of Infrastructure had delayed a decision on the permit renewal after the previous one expired.

Previously, the ministry cited a government decree from July of the previous year prohibiting the export and transit of Israeli weapons through Slovenia, as well as a decree from September that revoked permission for Israeli security officers to carry weapons at Ljubljana Airport. Israir had operated flights between Tel Aviv and Ljubljana from February to October last year. The new permit allows for two flights per week, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, starting next week, with an additional Saturday flight to be added from June 20 until the permit expires on October 24.

“

What I announced, I did immediately after taking office. The carrier Israir again has a permit for flights between Tel Aviv and Ljubljana.