State of emergency in border area planned to be extended until May 10

RIGA - Taking into account the volatile situation on the Latvia-Belarus border, it is planned to extend the state of emergency in Ludza Region, Kraslava Region, Augsdaugava Region, and the City of Daugavpils until May 10, according to proposals prepared by the Ministry of the Interior.

The ministry points out that since August 10, 2021, a total of 4,962 persons have been deterred from illegally crossing from Belarus into Latvia. Also, since December 13, the number of persons trying to illegally cross into Latvia from Belarus has risen.

As reported, taking into consideration the steeply increasing numbers of illegal immigrants trying to cross into Latvia from Belarus, the government has declared a state of emergency to run from August 11 until November 10, 2021, and then extended to February 10, 2022, in the following municipalities: Ludza Region, Kraslava Region, Augsdaugava Region, and the City of Daugavpils.

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