„We have increased the forces of the Police and Border Guard Board at ports, airports, and border zones. Together, we help strengthen the external border of the European Union where the pressure is greatest – next week, the third Estonian police unit will start working in Latvia, which will help local officers prevent illegal border crossings,“ said M. Tsahkna.
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According to him, persons who have illegally arrived in Estonia are detained and returned according to applicable laws.
„We will also act decisively against those who organize or facilitate illegal migration or profit from it. Estonian law enforcement agencies will investigate such cases very strictly,“ emphasized the minister.
„Belarus, aided by Russia, uses illegal migration as a means to put pressure on Europe. Therefore, Estonia protects not only its own border but, together with Latvia, Finland, and other allies, the entire external border of the European Union. Estonia is ready to respond quickly and decisively to any increase in migration pressure,“ added M. Tsahkna.
The national broadcaster ERR reports that a large police operation took place in Tallinn on Thursday, during which several suspected illegal migrants were detained.
According to the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), this incident is part of a broader migration pressure that has affected Estonia in recent days.
„There is reason to believe that this is not an isolated case. Rather, we see a general trend of increasing illegal migration pressure on Estonia. We see that the real goal of the people is not necessarily to arrive in Estonia, but to pass through it,“ said Indrek Aru, head of the Northern Prefecture Border Guard Office.
According to him, the PPA has been uncovering such cases every day for more than a week.
„We now have more than 20 cases, with a total of 81 people detained,“ said I. Aru.
Most migrants arrive in Estonia through the Latvian and Belarusian border, and officials do not expect this flow to stop before the onset of worse autumn weather.
The influx of migrants into the eastern EU members from Belarus began in 2021, with the West accusing the Minsk regime of organizing it.
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