Head of the Latvia’s State Border Guard Guntis Pujats told the media that by closing the border with Belarus would increase the risks of illegal border crossings, but the State Border Guard is ready to secure the border.
Pujats sees no problem with the possible closure of the border.
IF BORDER CHECKPOINTS ARE CLOSED, THE BORDER GUARDS WILL PUT UP PHYSICAL BARRIERS
and, obviously, we will have to give people some time to return to Latvia or Belarus.
“Closing the border altogether could stop some traffic, both buses and freight. Now, hundreds of vehicles: trucks and cars, cross the border every day. Traffic is quite heavy,” said Pujats.
PUJATS DID NOT DENY THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF RESTRICTIONS ON LEGAL TRAVEL INCREASES THE RISKS OF ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS.
At the same time, he pointed out that since this week, additional border guards, army and police forces have already been deployed to guard the border. If the border checkpoints are closed, the border guards working at these checkpoints can be deployed to control the green border.
“THERE IS NO NEED FOR ADDITIONAL MOBILISATION” PUJĀTS ADDED.
Currently there are two legal border crossing points on the roads and one on the railways. Three border crossings are still closed due to Belarus’ aggressive actions by sending immigrants to Latvia.
Overall, Pujats is concerned about the current events, as the risk of more people trying to cross the green border illegally is high. “That is why border surveillance has been reinforced at a good time. At the end of the week, 50 people per day attempted to enter Latvia, compared to 96 at the beginning of the week.
HOWEVER, THERE IS NO DIRECT INFORMATION THAT THERE WILL BE SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE TOWARDS LATVIA,” EMPHASISED PUJĀTS.
As already reported by BNN, the Baltic and Polish interior ministers will meet on the 28th of August in Warsaw, where the situation on the border with Belarus will also be discussed and assessed. Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite has said that the Baltic countries and Poland are discussing the possibility of a full border closure with Belarus, which will be finalised in Warsaw.
Interior Minister Maris Kucinskis (AS) earlier told LETA that closing the border with Belarus can only be effective against the hybrid warfare elements of the Lukashenko regime if all three border countries – Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, implement it simultaneously.
THIS YEAR, 5952 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STOPPED FROM CROSSING THE LATVIAN-BELARUS BORDER ILLEGALLY AND 292 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ADMITTED FOR HUMANITARIAN REASONS.
Due to the pressure of illegal immigration, from the 11th of August until the 10th of February 2024, a reinforced border surveillance regime will be in force in several administrative areas along the Belarusian border. In view of the rapidly growing hybrid threat on the Latvian-Belarusian border, the State Border Guard Service is mobilising additional border guards from Tuesday, the 22nd of August, to strengthen the protection of the external state border. The State Border Guard has also requested additional support from the National Army and State Police.
Concerns about possible provocations on the border have increased following the departure of the Russian Evgeny Prigozhin’s group Wagner to Belarus.
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