Lithuania's parliament has voted to construct a fence along its border with Belarus to curb the influx of migrants from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other non-EU countries. Over 4,000 illegal crossings have been recorded this year, a record high for the EU member state.
Lithuanian officials accuse Belarus of orchestrating the migrant surge by flying in individuals and directing them towards the border, a claim Minsk denies. Tensions have escalated since Belarus forced a Ryanair flight to divert to Minsk in June, arresting a Belarusian opposition journalist and his girlfriend, prompting the EU to tighten sanctions.
The proposed barrier, a 4-metre metal fence topped with razor wire, is estimated to cost €152 million (£128 million). Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite stated, 'Without this physical barrier, it is impossible to protect our borders.' However, an EU spokesman clarified that the bloc does not finance fences or barriers, offering instead border guards and supplies.
Lithuania has also introduced a policy of offering €300 to migrants who agree to return to their home countries, alongside a controversial practice of pushing migrants back from the border. Latvia has declared a state of emergency on its Belarus border, authorising border guards to forcibly return illegal migrants.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in power since 1994, warned that Belarus would not accept migrants back from its Baltic neighbours. He accused Lithuania of provoking his government, stating, 'If they don't calm down at the borders, they will get an all-out sock on the jaw.'
