Latvia reinforces its border with Belarus

The Latvian Border Guard announced an additional mobilization of its troops starting August 15 in order to “strengthen protection on the state border” with Belarus.

According to the security agency’s statement, “the decision was made due to the rapid growth of the hybrid threat” recorded “in the last 24 hours”, since 96 attempts to illegally cross the border between both countries were detected.

The Border Guard points out that Belarusian authorities are allegedly increasingly involved in “organizing the flow of illegal migrants” into Latvian territory. In addition, it has requested additional support from the Army and Police, as well as suspended the granting of annual leave to its officials.

The migration crisis on the eastern border of the European Union (EU) erupted in 2021, when Belarus became a major transit point for refugees from the Middle East and Africa trying to reach the EU.

The flow of refugees affected Poland, Latvia and Lithuania. Brussels has since blamed Minsk for fueling the migrant crisis, while Belarusian authorities have rejected the accusations.

Last June, various social organizations criticized the “double standard” of the EU’s migration and asylum policy, pointing out that it acted quickly to welcome millions of refugees from Ukraine, while citizens of other countries spend months in detention centers. welcome with movement restrictions. Likewise, they denounced that migrants are victims of physical abuse, arbitrary detentions, rejection and sudden returns. With RT

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