In Lithuania, 35 illegal migrants were detained last day, but even more Lithuanian border guards have been forced to return to Belarus, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service said on Wednesday.
The last double-digit number of illegal migrants detained in Lithuania during the day was measured on July 24, when 40 migrants were detained. After that, the number increased and reached a daily record of 287 on August 2.
Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite signed an order on Monday requiring border guards to force migrants who have crossed the border illegally to return. Psychological pressure and physical force are allowed for this purpose. Border guards began to carry out this order on Tuesday.
Roks Pukinsks, the press secretary of the State Border Guard Service, in response to a question from the news agency BNS, refused to reveal how many migrants who had crossed the border were forced to return to Belarus last day. However, Pukkins confirmed that the number was higher than 180, which was called Rustam Lubayev, the head of the State Border Guard Service, on Tuesday afternoon.
The flow of illegal migrants across the Lithuanian-Belarusian border has reportedly increased sharply recently. Since the beginning of this year, the total number of illegal immigrants apprehended has exceeded 4,000. Most illegal migrants want to enter Western European countries through Lithuania.
Lithuanian officials point out that the Belarussian regime is deliberately facilitating the flow of migrants across the border, as Lithuania supports the democratic opposition in Belarus and has given asylum to its leader Svyatlan Cihanouska.
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