Lithuanian border guards barred entry to 26 Russian citizens between Monday, 19 September noon and Tuesday, 20 September, referring to the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), informs Lithuanian National Broadcaster LRT.
According to the VSAT data, 1 159 Russian citizens arrived in Lithuania on Monday, almost half fewer than the week before (2 141).
The deputy chief of the sate Border Guard Service, Antanas Montvydas, told LRT RADIO that on Monday, 19 September, 1 461 Russian citizens had arrived in the country between Monday, 19 September, and Tuesday, 20 September, the morning after Lithuania introduced a stricter entry procedure.
According to Montvydas, seven Russian citizens were refused entry at Kybartai and Medininkai border checkpoints, four at Lavoriškės, and two at Raigardas. The remaining checkpoints barred entry to one Russian citizen each.
Six of those refused entry held visas issued by Lithuania, four had visas issued by France, another four had visas issued by Germany, and three had visas issued by Poland. The remaining Russian citizens who were not allowed to enter Lithuania’s territory held visas issued by Austria, Greece, Hungary, and Italy.
There were no conflicts between border guards and the people barred entry at border checkpoints, Montvydas said.
«We have not recorded any conflict situations. They understand the decisions adopted by us and go back to their country of departure,» he told LRT RADIO.
«There were all sorts of people – those who pleaded ignorance and those who admitted trying to enter our country despite the fact that there is legislation in place that prevents entry,» he added.
Montvydas also said that, according to unofficial sources, Latvia had refused entry to three Russian citizens during the same period.