Night from Thursday to Friday Delphi, together with Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Chairman of the Seimas National Security and Defense Committee (NSGC), visited the SBGS Tverečius border checkpoint.
Five illegal migrants arrested as Iraqi citizens were detained here for several days in the adjacent section of the Puškai firewall. They agreed to chat with reporters and tell their story.
Detainee: we traveled in a truck for a week, we want to live in Lithuania, because there is good government here
A girl of about 26 years old said they were satisfied with the conditions at the firewall.
“It simply came to our notice then. We are safe and everything is fine. (…) Well, maybe we just don’t like food here. It would be better to be different, “the girl said.
According to her, the family wants to stay and live in Lithuania.
“It simply came to our notice then. It’s very hot in Iraq, so it’s better for us here. When you go to Iraq, you will understand what is hot. We were told that people here live well, that there is good government. We need a safe life, “she said.
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Asked how their group reached Lithuania, she said that they went from Iraq to Iran and then to Turkey. There, according to her, they asked people how to reach Lithuania and a few days later they found a driver.
The girl said that a family of five – she, her husband, cousin and two brothers – went to Lithuania together with four Arabs. According to her, the trip lasted a week, everyone was driving a truck, and the identity documents were allegedly handed over to the driver. For the trip, they said, paid 17 thousand. dollars.
“The driver said, ‘Go, it’s Europe.’ He was Turkish, we didn’t really understand him. When we got out on the street, we asked people to call the police because we needed help and finally the police arrived, ”the girl claimed.
True, when asked to clarify the circumstances and exactly what people had arranged for the trip for them, the girl could not do so, but said the trip was frustrating.
“We want to work, study. I would like to study, and I don’t know about my husband. “… He worked in a market in Iraq, and I studied business at university,” he said.
When asked why she decided to leave Iraq, the girl answered, noting that it was a long story and did not go into detail.
“Long history. We had a lot of problems – some people wanted to kill us. Do not know why. They called us and told us they would come and kill my husband, ”said the girl, explaining that the family had left her husband and little sister in Iraq.
Unconvincing version: similar to a pre-made “legend”
However, such a version submitted by the persons who crossed the border illegally did not convince the commander of the Tverečius border guard Marius Garuckas.
He pointed out that Lithuania is usually a transit country for illegal migrants.
“It is often the case that migrants of organizers and guides are prepared with a ‘legend’ of what to tell border guards or police officers to throw their feet so that you cannot investigate, perhaps to look at them differently. (…)
The version of these illegal migrants is very unconvincing, only that they are benevolent, wanted to communicate, talk, do not make any claims or demands – they are not disturbed by mosquitoes, heat or living conditions, “M. Garuckas noted.
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Laurynas Kasčiūnas, the chairman of the NSGK, spoke similarly.
“It simply came to our notice then. On the other hand, when you arrive without documents and tell them that you gave them, your personal documents, to the driver of some truck, it is already a suspicion.
The second thing, apparently, is that the component of Minsk and the plane would not appear, they are told the tale that you can come from Lithuania by truck to the truck from Istanbul – it is difficult to convince, ”the politician considered.
Border guards receive reproaches and demands
Mentioning the demands and reproaches of illegal migrants, Mr Garuck, when asked to explain what is most common for detainees, noted that the majority of complaints are about accommodation conditions and food.
Also – because of the allegedly specially stinging mosquitoes at the border.
“The requirements really start at the firewall – bad conditions, you are being tortured by mosquitoes, bad food, here in Europe, you have to give us better conditions. In the beginning, there were also questions about testing – why are you driving us here for testing, but it has already calmed down. Most of them demand to be taken to the centers as soon as possible, sometimes they already know – says Pabradė or Rukla, where the conditions are much better for families, ”said the commander of the Tverečius border guard.
Officials are also sometimes surprised by the specific nature of the requests – some illegal migrants, according to Mr Garuck, expect exceptional attention and conditions when they reach Europe.
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“One group of six people was told that they wanted that, that – that, that – that. All differently. These are food, meals, cigarettes. There were also six women, one said she was pregnant, although this was not confirmed, the other demanded pregnancy tests. We attribute this to either feeling bad or wanting better conditions.
Sometimes they even make lists – we have money, buy for us. However, he asks for food from specialty stores or some Bigmak from McDonald’s, a SBGS official commented.
The chairman of the NSGK L. Kasčiūnas also agreed on this, having repeatedly spoken about the need to reduce Lithuania’s attractiveness for illegal migration.
“There are different groups of illegal migrants with different needs, but the fact is that if you run away from war, terror and come to a country where it doesn’t exist, you are given shelter and basic all services, talk about not being suitable for one or another life. aspect, Lithuanian mosquitoes, this testifies to an important thing – we first talk about the signs of economic migration, ”the parliamentarian emphasized.
He did not hide his surprise when he heard the requests of some of the detainees.
“In this context, I would say to the people participating in the debate in Lithuania who have a different point of view that they will need to talk to them – especially the chairman of the Human Rights Committee and the Seimas ombudsman – to consult with the Lithuanian mosquito community in order not to terrorize migrants and leave them alone, ”L. Kasčiūnas ironized.
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It offers three main lines of action
However, L. Kasčiūnas noted that in order to solve the problem of illegal migration more effectively, according to him, it is necessary to improve physical border protection, not to create “greenhouse conditions” for detainees, thus reducing the country’s attractiveness and speeding up asylum applications and return procedures.
“Our whole border needs to be assessed systematically. What little needs to be done is to complete our surveillance system with detection systems – it is being done, it is planned to be done, I have no doubt that this firewall will really be covered.
It would be desirable for elements of the fence to appear as well, all border guards agree that the physical barrier should deter, slow down migration, and help prevent smuggling. It would be an additional barrier for certain hybrid actions as well, ”said a member of the Seimas.
He said a good decision had been made that the court could decide to restrict the movement of detainees.
“In my view, this sends a clear message that those greenhouse conditions will not be here, and from the dissatisfaction that arises, we see that this is not according to their scenario. Their goal is to leave all the infrastructure here and drive to the West, ”L. Kasčiūnas emphasized.
Laurynas Kasčiūnas
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At the same time, the politician presented another idea – social campaigns.
“Now Lithuania should also think about certain social campaigns in those countries through social networks – that it will not be a migration-friendly country. The Norwegians, Denmark, in their time, are examples of good practice. It has to be done, that message has to be carried, ”the NSGK chairman noted.
L. Kasčiūnas also noted that efforts should be made to increase the efficiency of processing asylum applications, as well as, together with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency “Frontex”, to initiate the return of persons who have not been granted asylum to their countries of origin.
Belarusian border guards change the rules of the game?
M. Garuckas, the commander of the Tverečius border firewall, said that one small section stands out in the border section under his leadership with the activity of illegal migration.
“There are good roads near the border on the Belarusian side, they run from Moscow and Minsk, there are a lot of settlements and good Belarusian border roads. Without tiring you passed yourself, crossed the border.
There are also a lot of convenient roads on our side, it is easy to orientate, so it is used. It is very convenient to bring, to release it quickly, it is possible to move a lot of vegetation, bushes, trees, it can move a little while in disguise, ”the SBGS official commented.
Mr Garuck said information and Belarusian border guards had recently been received after the break. True, it is not yet clear whether it is accurate.
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“Recently, after our arrests, there have been reports from Belarusian border guards that they, too, have detained several groups of migrants who have been moving in this direction. Whether that’s true, whether the arrest really took place, if it did, whether they really started guarding the border, whether they change the rules of the game so we can’t say they don’t catch, don’t communicate – it’s hard to say.
In fact, it’s not clear if those arrests were, because over the years they’ve reported, we’ve seen how they arrested, the video was shared. “In this case, there were only dry reports and nothing more, so it is difficult to judge and draw any conclusions,” Garuck added.
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