Vytis Jurkonis: Wall With Russia, Belarus Built Not Only Because Of ‘Green Men’

By the end of this year, a two-meter metal fence will grow on the Lithuanian border with the Kaliningrad region.

Until 2020, a similar fence, reinforced with additional technical means, is planned to be erected on the border of Lithuania with Belarus. The fence will appear at the point of tripartite crossing of the state borders of Lithuania, Poland and Russia in the area of Vistitis and will be continued in Sakiai and Vilkaviškė regions to Neman. The cost of the fencing is 1,3 million euros. Over the entire length of the 109-kilometer border along the Neman, the border service already equipped technical surveillance systems abroad. A new fence will be built in the areas where the state border goes by land. The funds for the fencing equipment are allocated from the budget of Lithuania.

Lithuanian political scientist Vytis Jurkonis answered the questions of Charter97.org, why Lithuania builds a fence and how it can affect the relations with Moscow and Minsk.

- Why does Lithuania intend to build a fence on the border with Belarus and Russia?

- Some politicians emphasize border security, others draw attention to the acute geopolitical situation in the region. The very fact that the “West” maneuvres, which have an offensive character, are regularly held near our borders; the aggressive statements from politicians from neighboring, eastern countries sound, is alarming, but the construction of the fence is not only related to this context.

It must be remembered that the border of Lithuania is the external border of the European Commonwealth. Strengthening the external border of the EU is one of the priorities for the security of the united Europe. For example, in the southern part of Europe, a new maritime border control service was established in a relatively short period. Strengthening of the Lithuanian-Belarusian border is simply necessary, especially in the light of the fact that every time when excises are raised in Lithuania, the smuggling of alcohol and cigarettes goes off scale.

- In your opinion, what will be the reaction of Minsk and Moscow?

- The Kremlin and its partners in Minsk, will surely try to use this issue, applying a variety of manipulations. Although, frankly, I think that in the light of the fact that all countries have to fight a huge wave of illegal emigration, smuggling - all parties should be interested in strengthening the borders.

- Can such a fence prevent the appearance of the “green men”?

- Lithuania pursues a policy of combating the shadow economy, human trafficking, and strengthens control over illegal substances. Many myths would become irrelevant if we could better understand each other's domestic policies. To argue that the barrier at the border is built solely because of the "green men" would mean blowing into the tune of the Kremlin's propaganda machine.

- Is this a sufficient measure for the border protection?

- Fencing is one of the elements of strengthening security, which is carried out in conjunction with other measures. No one expects that the strengthening of the border will solve all security problems. The history of the bronze soldier in Tallinn in 2007 demonstrated that there exists a question not only of the physical boundary. Cyberattacks, information warfare, corruption links, economic and energy blackmail, various provocations inside the country - the list of tools for possible aggression is quite broad and the issue of security needs to be approached in a comprehensive manner, and not only focus on protecting the border.