Illegal migration flows are adjusted in line with domestic political processes - Pujats

RIGA - In recent years, the external border of the European Union (EU) has been marked by Russia and Belarus redirecting and adjusting the flow of illegal migrants in line with the domestic political developments in Latvia, Lithuania or Poland, said Guntis Pujats, head of the State Border Guard, in an interview with the Latvian Television.

At the beginning of this so-called instrumentalization, the Lithuanian border was the first to be tested, but in the last two years the Polish and Latvian borders have been targeted more, Pujats said, adding that in Poland more than 22,000 attempts have already been detected of persons illegally entering the country by crossing the external green border.

"The same violators are directed to cross the Polish border illegally, then they appear on the Latvian border and vice versa," the Border Guard chief illustrated.

According to him, in 2023 the most tense months at the Latvian border were August, September and October, due to the fact that from September 1 the requirement for Russian citizens to pass a state language exam in order to extend their residence permit in Latvia came into force.

"It can be seen very clearly that this instrumentalization is linked to the internal political processes of a particular country - Latvia, Lithuania or Poland - and in order to destabilize the security situation, difficulties at the internal border are being intensified," Pujats said.

As regards the fight against illegal immigrant carriers, the Border Guard Chief stressed that active preventive work is also being carried out at the border, informing the persons encountered that taking illegal migrants in a car can lead to criminal liability.

This year, the Border Guard has already apprehended 64 carriers of irregular migrants, of whom about one third are Latvian nationals, both citizens and non-citizens, and the second largest proportion are Ukrainian nationals. They are followed by Estonian and Lithuanian nationals, as well as persons from other countries who have already legally obtained a residence permit in Latvia.

Pujats reminded that the State Border Guard has been working under a reinforced regime for the last five years.

As reported, so far this year, border guards have prevented attempts by 9,136 people to illegally enter Latvia from Belarus, while 15 persons have been let into the country on humanitarian grounds this year.

Last year 5388 people were prevented from crossing the Latvian-Belarusian border illegally, while 26 people were admitted for humanitarian reasons.

The government earlier extended the enhanced border protection regime at the Belarusian border until December 31 this year.

The reinforced border surveillance regime was imposed due to the increased flow of illegal migrants from Belarus.

The reinforced border security regime is in force in Ludza and the parishes of Ludza municipality, Kraslava and the parishes of Kraslava municipality, Augsdaugava municipality, Daugavpils and the Kaunata parish in Rezekne municipality.

Latvian authorities consider attempts by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko's regime to push migrants across Latvian, Lithuanian and Polish borders to be methods of hybrid warfare targeting these countries.