„I think it is still too early to discuss. Yes, there is a problem. Yes, I think efforts from both sides need to be focused on controlling it, not immediately moving to open a border post,“ the Prime Minister said to TV3 news on Thursday.
Read more Former head of Italy’s road operator sentenced to 12 years in prison for Genoa bridge collapse
„There is still an arsenal of possibilities of what can be done before that (restoration of control – BNS), but we have definitely drawn the attention of Latvian politicians at the highest level that the situation is really unpleasant and should be properly addressed,“ M. Sinkevičius noted.
As BNS wrote, this year over six months, compared to last year’s situation, the so-called secondary migration flow from Latvia increased from just over 300 to more than 1.2 thousand foreigners.
In Lithuania this week, during the visit of the Latvian president with a delegation, the interior ministers signed a bilateral agreement on cooperation in combating crime, which should also help fight organized migrant smuggling networks.
Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas mentioned to BNS last week that if the secondary illegal migration flow from Latvia does not subside, the restoration of temporary border control could be considered.
Read more The first victim in the «Aurum 1006 km race»: Porsche engine replacement
In turn, President Gitanas Nausėda said that such a decision would be a capitulation to illegal migration, noting that Lithuania does not face any special problems in relations with Latvia.
According to M. Sinkevičius, Lithuania manages illegal migration, but „there is a bypass through Latvia,“ which faces challenges in border monitoring.
According to the State Border Guard Service data, this year over 8 thousand migrants tried to enter Latvia, were detained and returned to Belarus or deterred by Latvian border guards still on the Belarusian side. This is almost nine times more than attempts from Belarus to enter Lithuania.
Read more This mistake can kill lavender: 5 steps for longer blooming
