Clamping Down Hard: Latvia Bolsters Eastern Border Defenses Against Belarus Until 2026 and Beyond
Enhanced Border Surveillance by Latvia Continues Along Frontier with Belarus
Hang out, bros! Let's talk about the latest move by Latvia's government to beef up security along its border with Belarus. They're extending their reinforced border protection until the end of 2025 (that's a whole five years!), citing a stubbornly high number of illegal border crossings as the main reason.
So far this year, more than 5,500 migrants have been thwarted from sneaking across the border from the authoritarian-ruled neighboring country into EU and NATO member Latvia. The pressure this puts on the EU's external border is substantial, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
This special regulation, already extended multiple times, won't be axed on December 31, 2025. Instead, it'll stay in play until that date, granting the Latvian border troops additional powers in six key areas in the eastern region of the Baltic nation. Work on border infrastructure also continues. Sharing a border with Russia's buddy Belarus, Latvia's eastern border stretches around 172 kilometers.
There's some beef between Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus' lanky leader, Alexander Lukashenko. They accuse him of masterminding a migrant smuggling operation aimed at hassling the West on the EU's external border. Latvia has even put up a fence along the border with this authoritarian neighbor, but it's had its fair share of damage from unsuccessful illegal border crossings. So, they're adding some tech upgrades to the border by the end of 2026.
This isn't the first time Latvia's taken a stand against the regime in Belarus. They've imposed stringent travel restrictions on certain officials, limiting trips to Russia and Belarus. This move aims to cut down on espionage and other threats to national security that they see coming from these countries.
In a nutshell:
- Latvia's locked down its eastern border for the next five years to tackle the constant surge in illegal border crossings from Belarus[1][2].
- The border friction stems from accusations that Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus has been playing dirty by organizing migrant smuggling as a form of political or hybrid warfare against EU neighbors[5].
- Latvia's broader security precautions, including travel restrictions for officials, highlight their concerns about espionage and regional instability from Belarus and Russia[4].
There you have it! Latvia's taking no chances when it comes to safeguarding its borders and national security. Keep it locked here for more updates on this ongoing saga.
Sources: ntv.de, dpa
[1] Ministry of the Interior of Latvia. (n.d.). Reinforced control of the border with Belarus will last until the end of 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.iem.gov.lv/2022/06/23/tumsanais-grin-ticuma-ar-belarusu-izdurabs-frame-2025-gadu-beigas/[2] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. (2022, April 21). Latvia Says It Will Keep Reinforced Border Control With Belarus Through 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.rferl.org/a/latvia-belarus-illegal-migrants-border-control/31518638.html[3] BBC News. (2021, November 16). Migrant row: Russia urges Latvia to 'calm down'. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59203002[4] The Baltic Times. (2021, November 12). Latvia bans certain Belarusian officials from entering Schengen zone. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://baltictimes.com/latvia-bans-certain-belarusian-officials-from-entering-schengen-zone/[5] The Guardian. (2021, August 20). Belarus 'weaponising' migrants on EU border in show of strength, says Lithuanian president. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/20/belarus-weaponising-migrants-on-eu-border-in-show-of-strength-says-lithuanian-president
- The Latvian government's extended border security measures, originally set to conclude in 2025, now span through 2026, emphasizing their commitment to addressing the ongoing issue of illegal border crossings from Belarus [1].
- The tension between Latvia and Belarus, marked by accusations of migrant smuggling, escalates the politics of war-and-conflicts and general-news, impacting the broader EU region [5].
