The Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia announced the strengthening of the work of the border service on the border with Belarus

The government of Latvia has announced an enhanced operation of the border service from August 11 in the territories bordering with Belarus. About it reported on the cabinet website.

“On August 8, the Cabinet of Ministers announced an enhanced operation of the border service for six months from August 11, 2023 to February 10, 2024 in the administrative territories of Ludza, Kraslava, Augshdaugava counties and Daugavpils,” the statement reads.

The Latvian authorities explained the need for an enhanced regime of work “disproportionately large number of cases of illegal crossing of the Latvian-Belarusian border.”

The government cites that reports of illegal crossing attempts are also coming from the “competent authorities” of Lithuania and Poland, and countries need to coordinate their actions “to ensure equal protection of the borders of the countries of the entire region.”

The border guards will be supported by the national armed forces and the police. They will have the right to enter residential and non-residential premises without the permission of the owners “in order to identify the shelters of persons who illegally crossed the state border, if there are reasonable suspicions.” They will also be able to provide food and essentials to people who illegally try to cross the border, under the condition of a life-threatening situation or if they are in the transit zone. At the request of the border guard, they can be provided with medical assistance.

According to the Cabinet of Ministers, from August 11, 2021, 14,000 people were not allowed to cross the border outside the checkpoints, of which 5,461 were in the period from January 1 to August 7, 2023. For humanitarian reasons, 282 people were allowed to cross the border, including including 117 minors.

On the evening of August 1, the Ministry of National Defense of Poland stated that two Belarusian helicopters violated the country’s airspace during exercises near the village of Belovezha. After the incident, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak convened a meeting of the National Security Committee and ordered an increase in the number of soldiers on the border and the allocation of additional forces, including combat helicopters.

On August 7, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Poland Maciej Wonsik said that the border service of the republic had requested 1,000 soldiers for reinforcements to the border with Belarus. After the arrival of new military personnel, the number of Polish soldiers on the border will be 3,000 people.

On August 3, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced the possible complete closure of the border with Belarus due to the Wagner PMC fighters stationed there. On August 4, Laurynas Kaschyunas, a member of the Committee on Defense and National Security of the Lithuanian Seimas, announced on the air of the Lithuanian National Radio and Television that the closure of certain border checkpoints with Belarus would definitely happen.