Latvia has decided to close one of its two border crossings with Belarus, accusing Minsk of posing a threat to Riga's national security.
"Border tensions are increasing, and Belarus is increasingly involved in hybrid threats, which is why we are seeing an increasing number of illegal immigrants," Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina told reporters today.
Latvia announced the closure of the Silene border crossing with Belarus to ensure border integrity and prevent risks related to illegal immigration, according to LSM . The remaining border crossing in Paternieki remains open to avoid disruptions to cargo, business and humanitarian transport.
According to Ms. Silina, this is a move to "send a signal to the international community". However, the Belarusian border guards said on the same day that the Silene border gate was still open and they had not received any notice from Latvia.
Latvian news agency LETA said the country's border guards have intercepted 894 attempts to cross the border in the past six days, bringing the total since the beginning of September to more than 1,770. This is higher than the 1,615 cases recorded in August.
Latvian border guards patrol the border fence with Belarus near Robeznieki, Latvia on August 8. Photo: Reuters
Latvia, along with Poland and Lithuania, have all installed additional fences on their borders with Belarus, fearing a similar migration crisis in 2021. At that time, the European Union (EU) accused Belarus of facilitating tens of thousands of people from the Middle East, Asia and Africa to cross into Poland to enter the bloc, in retaliation for Western sanctions imposed on Minsk.
Latvia, Poland and Lithuania eventually enacted a policy of stopping the flow of migrants, which remains in effect today. Migrants from Belarus then continued to appear at the borders of the three countries, but in significantly lower numbers.
Belarus rejected the EU's accusations, and counter-accused Poland of harboring "Belarusian exiles trained for an uprising at home".
The Lithuanian government announced in mid-August that it was closing two of its six border crossings with Belarus due to the " geopolitical context" after Wagner militants arrived in the country. Meanwhile, Poland has only opened one border crossing with Belarus.
Location of Belarus and border crossings with its neighbors. Graphic: AFP
Nhu Tam (According to Reuters, Anadolu Agency )
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