On Tuesday, this was reported by the broadcaster LSM.
Near Piedruja – a small town near the Latvian border with Belarus – E. Rinkevičius, who visited on Monday, praised the improvements in border infrastructure but noted that technology is ineffective if there is a lack of personnel able to respond to situations.
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The head of the State Border Guard Service, Guntis Pujats, said that the service needs 500 additional employees, although discussions are currently only underway for 200 vacancies. He said that sometimes two border guards have to detain groups of 20 people.
Latvia claims that the increasing migration pressure from Belarus is part of a hybrid operation coordinated by Minsk ahead of the parliamentary elections to be held in Latvia in October.
From Friday to Sunday, border guards prevented 182 people from illegally crossing the border.
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Additionally, Riga has strengthened measures to combat smuggling networks after a tunnel was found dug under the border.
“Complaints should be addressed to Minsk and those conducting this hybrid operation directed against Latvia,” noted E. Rinkevičius.
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