{"id":197105,"date":"2026-07-24T14:30:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T11:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/197105\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T14:30:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T11:30:06","slug":"latvia-to-boost-border-defenses-amid-surge-in-irregular-crossings-via-belarus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/197105\/","title":{"rendered":"Latvia to boost border defenses amid surge in irregular crossings via Belarus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

July 24, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Latvia\u2019s National Security Council has approved new measures to beef up border security, to be implemented by the ministries of foreign affairs, the interior and defense, LSM<\/em> reported, citing Latvian President Edgars Rink\u0113vi\u010ds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The politician stressed that security cannot be ensured solely \u201cthrough fences and technical systems,\u201d adding that the ability to respond quickly to threats is also critically important. Rink\u0113vi\u010ds described the situation on the border with Belarus as \u201cnot just a hybrid attack, but also organized crime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The neighboring European Union countries did not allow at least 1,766 undocumented third-country foreigners to cross irregularly via Belarus in the first three weeks of July, according to Pozirk\u2019s<\/em> analysis of border guards\u2019 data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latvia continued to be the primary target of irregular migration, accounting for 92 percent of all irregular crossings, followed by Lithuania (5 percent) and Poland (3 percent).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus\u2019 western neighbors have thwarted 9,652 attempts so far this year. Latvia reported 8,412 irregular crossings; Lithuania, 960 and Poland, 280.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flow of people eager to cross into the EU surged in spring 2021 after Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, angered by EU sanctions, had indicated that Minsk would not prevent asylum seekers from Africa and Asia from using Belarus as a route to the EU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June 2021, the Belarusian government suspended a readmission agreement with the EU in response to sanctions that followed the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latvia, Lithuania and Poland call the migration crisis a \u201chybrid attack\u201d orchestrated by Minsk and Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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