Guntis Pujāts.
Photo: Evija Trifanova / LETA
In preparation for a possible wave of illegal immigration on the eastern border of Latvia, the State Border Guard will ask for support from the National Armed Forces (NAF) and the Ministry of Defense, the head of the Latvian SSR Guntis Pujāts said in an interview with Latvijas Radio.
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According to him, unlike in Lithuania, the situation on the border with Belarus in Latvia is still calm, however, despite this, since the end of May, the border has been guarded in an enhanced manner and security risks are increasing.
“Due to these risks and tensions, I have already approached the NAF Commander and will also write to the Minister of Defense to support the Armed Forces and the National Guard in intensifying border surveillance and to have more resources available to filter possible violators,” said Pujāts.
The Border Guard is asking the Security Department for about 50 staff to double the intensity of patrols at the border.
Pujāts emphasized that the risk of a significant increase in the number of violations on the Latvian border is very high. According to him, it was understandable that Latvia was also endangered because an influx of illegal immigrants was observed in Lithuania.
He emphasized the need for the border guard to be proactive in this situation, so that the intensity of border surveillance and the available staff resources are available “when it starts”.
Asked what the VRS is an action plan for an influx of illegal immigrants, Pujāts replied that there are several hundred vacancies in several accommodation centers for detained foreigners in Latvia, but in case of extreme tension the border guard through the Minister of the Interior will ask the government to declare a state of emergency. local governments and civil protection mechanisms could be operationally involved in solving related problems.
As reported, two experts from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex, as well as a stencil patrol car, have already helped Latvian border guards to reduce the risks of illegal immigration on the Latvian-Belarusian border, VRS spokeswoman Kristīne Pētersone previously confirmed to LETA.
Latvia requested assistance from Frontex several weeks ago, taking into account the rapid development of the situation on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border, and two experts started working on Thursday.
This is the first time that Latvia has requested the involvement of Frontex experts in the surveillance of our state border, Pētersone pointed out.
At present, no pressure of illegal immigration has been observed at the Latvian-Belarusian border, but the border guard is following developments in the neighboring country.
It has already been reported that in response to the sharp increase in the flow of illegal immigrants across the Belarusian border, the Lithuanian government decided last week to declare a state of emergency. The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service has detained a record number of illegal immigrants – 150 people – at the Belarusian border last day.
The staff of the EU border guard agency Frontex will also start working on the Belarusian border on Friday.
Lithuanian officials suspect that the Belarussian regime is deliberately facilitating the flow of migrants across the border. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, in response to new EU sanctions, recently announced that Belarus would no longer protect Europe from illegal immigrants, drug trafficking and smuggling.
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