Despite the apparent decline in illegal migration pressure during the winter months, Latvia’s Ministry of the Interior (MoI) does not currently plan to lift the enhanced border security regime along the border with Belarus, Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis (New Unity) has said.
So far this year, no illegal border crossings have been detected along the Latvia–Belarus border. Reiterating what the State Border Guard recently told the LETA news agency, the minister suggested that the main reason is weather conditions – severe frost and snow-covered roads. Spending several days in the forest while waiting for an opportunity to cross the border could harm not only the health of the migrants themselves, but also that of the organisers of the hybrid threat.
The Interior Ministry has no credible information indicating that the decrease in pressure could be linked to any geopolitical processes aimed at halting the channeling of migrants toward the border. This is further evidenced by the fact that Lithuania continues to detect so-called “smugglers’ balloons” launched from Belarus, which at times also create problems in Lithuanian airspace, the minister noted.
Although Latvia has been forced to spend millions of euros over several years on security measures to counter the hybrid threat posed by Belarus and Russia, the Ministry of the Interior does not currently intend to cancel the enhanced border security regime along the Belarusian border. In other parts of Eastern Europe as well,
countries bordering Russia and Belarus continue to operate under heightened security conditions,
with border guards and other services remaining on high alert, the minister stressed.
According to Kozlovskis, given that no illegal border crossings have been detected so far this year on the Latvia–Belarus border, the ministry is being flexible when it comes to additional spending. At present, law enforcement officers from Lithuania and Estonia, as well as representatives of the National Armed Forces, are no longer stationed in the Belarusian border area. The State Border Guard has also redirected part of its resources to other tasks.
“We are maintaining the enhanced border security regime, cautiously monitoring the situation, and using resources rationally,” the minister emphasised.
The government has extended the enhanced border security regime along the Belarusian border until the 30th of June this year. The measure was introduced due to the increased flow of illegal migrants facilitated by Belarus. The enhanced control regime applies in the town of Ludza and surrounding parishes in Ludza Municipality, in Krāslava and its parishes, in Augšdaugava Municipality, in the city of Daugavpils, and in Kaunata Parish of Rēzekne Municipality.
Last year, the State Border Guard prevented a total of 12,046 attempts to illegally cross the Belarus–Latvia border. For humanitarian reasons, 31 illegal migrants were not turned back in 2024. In that year, 5,388 people were prevented from illegally crossing the Belarus–Latvia border, while 26 people were admitted to the country on humanitarian grounds.
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