Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović has criticized the changes in migration laws adopted by Lithuania, which allow for the accelerated processing of asylum applications of third-country nationals.
According to her, the new regime does not provide full protection for asylum seekers. Mijatovic also pointed out that migrants detained on the Lithuanian border with Belarus were accommodated in conditions equivalent to detention.
Responding to Miijatovich’s criticism, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonīte stated that migrants arriving in Lithuania via Belarus could not be considered refugees, as most of them had arrived in Europe for economic reasons. She added that citizens of Iraq and other third countries are not in danger in Belarus.
CONTEXT:
The flow of illegal migrants across the Lithuanian-Belarusian border has sharply increased this summer. Since the beginning of the year, the total number of illegal immigrants apprehended has exceeded 4,000. Most illegal migrants want to enter Western European countries through Lithuania.
Due to the influx of immigrants from Belarus in Lithuania a state of emergency has been declared. From August 3, following the order of the Minister of the Interior Agne Bilotaite, Lithuanian border guards force migrants arriving in Lithuania illegally from Belarus to return.
Lithuanian officials believe 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 Cihanousk.
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