Key facts
- Latvia has become the primary target for irregular migration attempts from Belarus.
- Latvian authorities recorded 111 attempted illegal crossings from Belarus in a single day.
- Lithuania, with a longer border, recorded only two attempted crossings on the same day.
- Secondary migration from Latvia to Lithuania has increased more than fourfold.
- Latvian officials allege Belarus is deliberately facilitating migration to destabilize the EU.
- Lithuania has sent support personnel to Latvia to reinforce border patrols.
Latvia has become the latest focal point of what EU governments describe as Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenka's strategy to leverage migration as a political tool against the bloc. Latvian authorities report a significant increase in attempted illegal crossings from Belarus, shifting the pressure from Lithuania and Poland. This surge, occurring months before Latvia's parliamentary elections, raises concerns about Minsk exploiting migration to destabilize the region.
Recent border data highlights this shift: Latvia, with a 173-kilometer border, recorded 111 attempted crossings in a single day, while Lithuania, with a 679-kilometer border, reported only two. Secondary migration from Latvia into Lithuania has also quadrupled. Latvian Interior Minister Jānis Dombrava stated that Latvia's border is now the main target, and a spokesperson for the Interior Ministry suggested the timing is intentional, linking it to Russia's war in Ukraine and Belarus's support for it.
Officials in Riga and Vilnius argue that migrants are being used as instruments in a state-directed operation. The Latvian Interior Ministry claims Minsk facilitates migration flows to strain EU resources and pressure neighboring countries. They allege Belarusian security forces escort migrants to the border, provide equipment to breach barriers, and prevent returns. The nationalities of migrants have varied, including citizens from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In response to the intensified pressure, Latvia has sought support from neighboring countries. Lithuania has deployed border guards and dogs to Latvia, replacing a previous contingent. Estonia also sent border guard teams in June, emphasizing that the Latvian-Belarusian border is also their border as part of NATO and the EU. Despite these efforts, Latvian officials admit current resources are not always sufficient. The rise in secondary migration has led Lithuania to consider temporary border controls with Latvia, a measure Poland has already implemented with Lithuania and Germany.