DUBLIN,  – Dublin on Monday described the forced diversion of a flight operated by Irish airline Ryanair carrying a Belarusian opposition activist as a “state-sponsored” act of “aviation piracy”.

“This was effectively aviation piracy, state-sponsored,” Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told state broadcaster RTE.

“We cannot allow this incident to pass on the basis of warnings or strong press releases. I think there has to be real edge to the sanctions that are applied on the back of this.”