In the past 24 hours, the State Border Guard has prevented ten attempts by illegal migrants to cross the border of Belarus and Latvia, the border guard reported to the LETA agency.
For the first time this year, attempts at illegal border crossing were recorded on February 2, when two individuals attempted to enter Latvia. Thus, a total of 12 people have been stopped for illegal border crossing since the beginning of the year.
At the end of January, Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis (JV) informed the LETA agency that, despite the apparent decrease in pressure from illegal migration during the winter months, the Ministry of the Interior will not yet initiate the cancellation of the enhanced border security regime on the Belarusian direction.
The agency indicated that the main reason for the decrease in the flow of illegal migration is the weather conditions — severe frosts and snow-covered roads. As a result, prolonged stays in the forest while waiting for an opportunity to cross the border can harm not only the health of the violators themselves but also the organizers of the hybrid threat.
The government has extended the enhanced border security regime with Belarus until June 30 of this year. It was introduced due to the increased flow of illegal migrants organized from the Belarusian side. The enhanced regime is in effect in Ludza and the municipalities of Ludza County, in Kraslava and its region, in Augšdaugava County, in Daugavpils, and in the municipality of Kaunata in the Rezekne region.
Last year, the State Border Guard prevented a total of 12,046 attempts at illegal crossing of the Belarusian-Latvian border. For humanitarian reasons, 31 illegal migrants were not denied crossing the border. In 2024, 5,388 people have been stopped at the border, and for humanitarian reasons, 26 individuals were allowed into the country.
