Latvia boosts intensified border surveillance with Belarus
Latvia is extending enhanced border security with nearby Belarus till year-end due to safety concerns. This decision was made in Riga, the capital, by the nation's government, a EU and NATO member in the Baltic region. The persistent excessively high number of efforts to illegally breach the border is behind this move, with Russia's conflict against Ukraine and the backing of Minsk's authoritarian leadership serving as an extra hazard factor.
The extension of the initial measure, which was set to expire in September, provides extra authority to border officials in six regions located in the eastern part of the Baltic EU and NATO country.
Latvia shares a border with Russia's close buddy to the east, stretching around 172 kilometers. Like Poland and Lithuania, the Baltic state blames Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko for coordinating the migration flow towards the EU's external border, allegedly with the assistance or even instigation of the Belarusian authorities, aiming to create a political pressure tactic.
As per the Interior Ministry in Riga, 4,210 migrants have been thwarted from illegally crossing the border so far this year.
The government's decision to extend border security measures is in response to an alarmingly high number of illegal border crossings. These attempts to enter Latvia illegally pose a significant threat to its sovereignty and security.
