Plans to accelerate fence construction on the border with Belarus; intensifies patrols / Article

It is planned to accelerate the construction of the fence on the border with Belarus; patrols will intensifyLinda Spundiņa00:00 / 03:41

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“Latvia protects its border. And we look very carefully at what people are trying to reach us. And if they have no reason to apply for asylum, we will also reject them, ”said Minister of the Interior Maria Golubeva (“ For Development / For ”) in response to the situation on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border.

For the second month in a row, a sharp influx of third-country migrants has been observed on the Lithuanian border with Belarus. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko is suspected of using migrants for political ends.

As Latvia also has a border with Belarus, several ministers are concerned about its security. Therefore, it is planned to build a full border infrastructure in the near future. In order to speed up the work, amendments are needed to a number of laws regarding procurement procedures and expropriation.

The Interior Ministry will push these amendments to the government next week. “Already next week, the Ministry of the Interior will forward the relevant decisions to the Cabinet of Ministers, so that we can all accelerate the strengthening and full construction of the eastern border. It could be said to speed up all work immediately, “said Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (” New Unity “).

Minister of the Interior Marija Golubeva confirmed that it is planned to build a fence on the Latvian-Belarusian border: “As for the fence, yes, we are planning to build infrastructure on the Belarusian border. And it is this process that we hope to accelerate by adopting a number of amendments and facilitations in the Cabinet of Ministers, with the support of our Cabinet colleagues. ”

Golubeva noted that the construction of the infrastructure can not start immediately: “Of course, we will not be able to start construction tomorrow, we will be able to do it in a few weeks, if the Cabinet makes a decision.”

Therefore, a temporary solution is envisaged by attracting the National Armed Forces and, if necessary, placing a temporary fence.

The Minister has asked the Ministry of Defense for additional forces to patrol the border. She also pointed out that there will be tougher penalties for people who help others cross the border illegally.

It is known that the State Border Guard is already supported by specialists of the European Union border agency “Frontex” and more than 50 national guards. Baiba Bļodniece, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, pointed out that, if necessary, the Ministry would provide its support, including technical support.

For the time being, the situation on the Latvian-Belarusian and Latvian-Russian borders is quite calm, Kariņš pointed out. Consequently, there is no reason to declare a state of emergency on the eastern border. Simultaneously, the National Armed Forces (NAF) expand support State Border Guard at the Belarusian border.

How much money from the state budget would be needed for the construction of infrastructure on the Latvian-Belarusian border is likely to be known next week, when the Cabinet of Ministers will review the informative report of the Ministry of the Interior.

CONTEXT:

In the summer of 2021 the number of migrants has increased significantly, which is trying to enter the territory of Lithuania from Belarus. Most migrants are refugees from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

Lithuanian officials believe that the Belarusian authorities deliberately does not constitute an obstacle to the crossing of the borderto punish Lithuania for supporting the Belarusian opposition and imposing sanctions on the Alexander Lukashenko regime. Lithuania describes such action as the spread of a hybrid war against the European Union.

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