Lithuania has announced its decision “to build an additional physical barrier and deploy troops” to its border with Belarus to prevent and influx of migrants into the country. This follows Lithuania’s decision earlier this week to declare a state of emergency after accusing Belarus of allowing hundreds of undocumented migrants to cross the border in retaliation to the European Union’s (EU) sanctions.
According to the figures released by Lithuania’s border guard, 779 illegal migrants have entered the country via Belarus in the first week of July compared to 636 migrants during the first half of 2021.
On Wednesday, Lithuanian Prime Minister (PM) Ingrida Šimonytė accused Belarus of flying in migrants from other countries to send to the EU. She said, “There are travel agencies, direct flights that connect Minsk with Baghdad, for example, and there are agencies both in Belarus and other countries that operate and attract ‘tourists’ to Minsk.” While levelling such accusations, the PM cited travel documents found with one of the migrants who managed to cross a 680-kilometres porous border into Lithuania via Belarus.
In addition, the PM said: “We assess the process itself as hybrid aggression, which is directed not against Lithuania but the entire European Union. The basis was the principled position of the whole EU, as well as Lithuania, on the falsified election results, repression of civil society and human rights defenders.”
On Tuesday, Belarus expelled two Lithuanian diplomats, and Lithuania responded proportionately, leaving only one consular officer in their respective embassies. In this regard, the Foreign Minister of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said, “Regretfully, Lukashenko chooses to close the door of diplomatic relations with Lithuania, meanwhile opening the gates to criminally organised and state-supported smuggling of migrants.” The Minister also summoned the head of the Belarus embassy to demand restrictions on illegal migrants.
Belarus’ non-cooperation comes against the backdrop of the latest EU sanctions, which targeted its economy and exports. The first package of sanctions was imposed over electoral fraud and a crackdown on dissent and media freedom. Subsequent sanctions came after Belarusian PM Alexander Lukashenko diverted a commercial aircraft to Minsk from its original destination to arrest dissident journalist Roman Pratasevich. The sanctions included restrictions on trade along with a travel ban and freezing of assets.
Also Read: EU Agrees to Impose New Sanctions on Belarus Over Arrest of Dissident Pratasevich
Meanwhile, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister plans to visit Baghdad and Ankara next week to discuss the migrant crisis, with most migrants coming from Iraq and Turkey. The Minister said: “A large part of the people (coming into Lithuania from Belarus) arrive there from Turkey, on Turkish airlines. We believe that Turkey knows their identities.” The Minister hopes for cooperation from Turkish authorities in identifying migrants and facilitating return to their country of origin. Lithuania has also requested a meeting with the foreign ministers of EU countries to discuss the crisis. The meeting is likely to take place on Monday. However, EU officials have cautioned Lithuania against placing additional barriers at its borders.