“Europe’s borders are only as strong as their weakest link.” Interview with a Frontex representative / Article

Interview with a Frontex representativeUģis Lībietis00:00 / 00:00

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Uģis Lībietis: I would like to start with a brief insight into the situation on the Belarusian-Lithuanian and also the Belarusian-Polish borders, where we have observed an unexpected influx of migrants from Belarus. How does Frontex view this situation and what is your expected involvement in the region?

Peter Svitalsky: The situation on the Lithuanian-Latvian and, to a lesser extent, the Polish-Belarusian border has been developing for several weeks and even months. Both Lithuania, Latvia and we, Frontex, are witnessing a sharp increase in the number of illegal border crossings. In June alone, more than 400 people who had arrived in Lithuania from Belarus were detained. That’s six times more than last year combined.

At the beginning of July, this number has already exceeded 1,400 people, and these are data for only half a year. This makes it possible to understand what this situation has been like in recent weeks and months. Lithuania and Latvia have requested Frontex assistance in border surveillance, and as of 1 July, our team of officers has started working in your countries at both border crossing points, participating in border patrols with several patrol cars. In any case, Frontex is ready to provide assistance to any EU Member State whenever there is any pressure on migration.

Lithuanian President Gitan Nauseda acknowledged this week that about 60% of the border with Belarus does not meet even the minimum border security standards. As an EU border control agency, do you probably have information on whether Lithuania is unique in this situation or whether there are worrying signs of border security elsewhere?

Frontex, as an agency, is tasked with assessing risks, and we publish a risk analysis report every year. By the way, the last report came out just a week ago. I would not like to comment specifically on what a particular section of the border looks like, but, of course, Europe’s borders are only as strong as their weakest section.

That is why Frontex is also tasked with assessing risks and helping in situations where there may not be enough video surveillance or patrols. That is our task; we are ready to help and show what we call European solidarity in situations where individual countries are unable to cope with the influx of migration.

You have already mentioned European solidarity. The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, also acknowledged that greater solidarity on the part of the Member States would certainly be needed. Please explain how this solidarity works from Frontex’s point of view? How should this solidarity manifest itself? More human, technological or financial assistance?

Historically, it was the Member States that offered their assistance, but Frontex was responsible for coordinating and deploying forces where required. Our agency has now been given new responsibilities and more resources. We currently have more than 600 trained EU border guards, all of whom are Frontex staff, and another group will soon be training.

These resources allow us and the EU as a whole to intervene where this help is needed. At present, this is Lithuania and Latvia, but there have been similar cases in Greece, when it came to the eastern Mediterranean migration route, or in Spain, when it comes to the west. If our help is needed, we will respond.

As you said, we have been following and worried about the situation on the EU’s southern border for years. There have been various EU operations to rescue refugees, to monitor the situation, and so on. Do you think that such a European mission could be needed on the EU’s eastern border in the future?

It is difficult to predict the future or make speculative predictions. I therefore only need to reiterate that, in the event of a crisis, Frontex, as an EU agency, will be able to respond within its means and powers. It is for this reason that Frontex was set up and its mandate is regularly extended.

Of course, Latvians and also Lithuanians are closer to events near our own borders, but from your point of view, what is the current situation in Europe? Are we the only hotspot where the situation is not very stable, or is it still necessary to worry about the southern border as well?

If we talk about migration routes and volumes, then it must be said that the volumes have increased compared to last year. Due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, last year we saw a sharp decline in migration, both in the Mediterranean and on other routes: in the Balkans and in the eastern Mediterranean, both by land and by sea. However, this year, and especially this summer, the numbers have started to rise again, returning to pre-pandemic levels. Of course, there are also changes in migration routes – fewer migrants enter through the eastern Mediterranean, more through the west. This is mainly due to the restrictions still in force in third countries. I would not call them hotspots, but migratory pressures are still being felt, as they were before the Covid-19 crisis.

European leaders emphasize that one of the main goals is to talk to those countries where these migratory flows begin and to those countries that are in the middle and allow migrants to move. You also definitely follow these countries and know them. Which do you think are the special countries that should be given the most attention? Maybe there is a near or distant conflict that could lead to some worrying trends in the future?

Of course, Frontex’s role is not only to monitor the situation at the borders, but also to analyze the situation in third countries. We are also analyzing various possible geopolitical scenarios, as it is not difficult to imagine that any turn in the East could trigger a new wave of migration.

Much like the political events that began and continue in Belarus. We can clearly see and [Baltkrievijas prezidents Aleksandrs] Lukashenko has said thatthat this is a response to various European constraints. Of course, we also analyze everything and follow events, so that there is always – as far as possible, prepared for any circumstances.

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 a hybrid war against the EU.

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