Government extends state of emergency on Latvian-Belarusian border until next February

On Tuesday, 2 November, the Cabinet of Ministers extended the ongoing state of emergency on the Latvian-Belarusian border until 10 February 2023.
Latvia’s government declared a state of emergency along the country’s eastern border for the first time on 11 August 2021 in response to a sharp surge in illegal immigration attempts from Belarus.
Latvia’s Ministry of the Interior notes that since August 2021 a total of 7 562 people have been deterred from illegally crossing the Latvian-Belarusian border. Since August 2022 there has been an increase in the number of detained and deterred persons on the border. 301 were deterred from crossing the border in August, 299 in September, and 173 in October.
Lithuanian and Polish authorities too report an increase in the number of illegal attempts to cross the border from Belarus.
By extending the state of emergency, the government in Latvia plans to ensure increased security along the Latvian-Belarusian border, the ministry reports.
Currently there is a 59.7 km long temporary fence set up along the border.
Latvia has also set up a 95.2 km long fence and four suspension bridges along the border with the Russian Federation.