EU border guards sent to Lithuania in the midst of the Belarusian migrant crisis

A registered number of immigrants and refugees from Belarus is entering EU membership in Lithuania as tensions between Brussels and Minsk soften.

The first group of six guards from the European Union’s Frontex border agency began work in Lithuania on Friday as the Baltic state denounced another large increase in migrants and refugees arriving from Belarus as tensions between the bloc and Minsk eased.

The Lithuanian border service said it had arrested 150 migrants and refugees in the last 24 hours, almost twice by 2020.

The total number of illegal crossings detected by this has been more than 800 across the 680-kilometer (420-mile) limit this year. In 2020, 81 crossings were identified.

The Lithuanian government, which has long opposed President Lukashenko Belarus, has said it suspects its government is allowing migrants and refugees to cross the border.

Lukashenko has previously warned that his country will not try to stop the flow of illegal migrants and refugees sent to the EU from other countries as a result of declining relations between his government and Brussels after Minsk forcibly diverted a passenger plane in May. the dissident journalist was on the board.

“The situation is tense and tends to worsen further,” Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told AFP news agency.

“The Foreign Ministry’s goal is clear: economic migrants who cross the EU border illegally must return to where they left off,” he said.

‘Playing with people’s lives’

Two weeks ago, the Lithuanian military set up several tents for migrants and refugees, most of whom are said to be from the Middle East, to deal with a larger number.

The number of Frontex border guards on the border with Belarus is expected to rise to 30 this month.

European Parliament President David Sassoli expressed “concern” on Friday about the situation there.

“Once again someone is playing in a very good way with people’s lives,” he tweeted.

I remain concerned about the arrival of migrants on the Belarus-Lithuania border.

Once again someone is unacceptable to people’s lives.

It is clear that whether in Europe, in the South or in the East, we need a common asylum and migration system to respond to the crisis.

– David Sassoli (@EP_President) July 2, 2021

The EU has imposed heavy economic sanctions on Belarus for the forced landing of a Ryanair plane in Minsk, and at the same time withdrew the so-called European Cooperation program, through which the bloc seeks close cooperation with some Soviet states. Western powers and Russia are looking for influence.

Last year’s protests overwhelmed Belarus, which was pushed by the re-election for the sixth term in the August 2020 elections, to protest last year’s protests, which opponents considered serious.

Authorities responded to the protests with massive repression that arrested thousands of people and denounced police brutality.

Most of Lukashenko’s opponents are in jail or have fled the country.

Meanwhile, Lukashenko on Friday ordered the complete closure of the border with Belarus adjacent to Ukraine, citing security reasons, the state news agency BelTA reported.

He told a rally on the occasion of the country’s Independence Day that rebel groups planning to stage a coup had been found in Belarus, BelTA reported.

“A large number of weapons come from Ukraine to Belarus. That is why I ordered the border security forces to completely close the Ukrainian border, ”Lukashenko said.