Latvia prepares an action plan in response to situation on Polish-Belarusian border

Latvia has prepared action plans in case the situation on the Latvian-Belarusian border changes, as the Minister of the Interior Marija Golubeva told the press.

The Ministry of the Interior reports that the State Border Guard and other services carefully follow the news on the Polish-Belarusian border, as well as developments in Belarus.

On 8 November there was a meeting involving the Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other services. Latvia has also exchanged information with colleagues in Lithuania and Poland.

Although the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border has become more intense in the last couple of weeks, the number of illegal migrants crossing Latvia’s border remains low. However, the situation may change, and the Ministry of the Interior has nonetheless prepared action plans for such situations.

The State Border Guard, National Armed Forces and other services continue cooperating to ensure protection of the country’s border.

If need be, authorities may decide to tighten border control.

The Ministry of the Interior admits a barbed wire fence has been set up along more than half of the Latvian-Belarusian border. It is planned to finish it in November. The Cabinet of Ministers has also supported a legislative draft submitted to the Saeima to secure necessary infrastructure for the state border.

In response to the situation on the Polish border, Latvia’s Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks wrote on Twitter that the Belarusian hybrid attack against Poland continues. Latvia agrees with Poland and requests EU member states to support Poland in this difficult time.

As previously reported, on Monday videos were posted on social networks showing hundreds or even thousands of migrants passing over the Belarusian border towards the Polish border.

This footage was captured in Hrodna Region of Belarus, which is not far from Kuźnica-Bruzga border control point.

This information was confirmed by representative of Polish security services Stanislav Zharin, who adds that the groups of migrants are protected and escorted towards the Polish border by Belarusian law enforcers.

According to the head of the Lithuanian Border Guard Rustam Lyubaev, different sources claim there are 10 000 to 50 000 illegal migrants currently staying on the Belarusian-Polish border. According to him, the news about migrants concentrating along the border were received at the end of last week, stressing that the Lithuanian border guard are preparing for possible developments.