Latvia Extends State Of Emergency Along its Belarus Border

It has been extended until February 10, 2022.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia has extended the state of emergency on the border with Belarus - Ludza region, Krāslava region, Augšdaugava region and Daugavpils city. - until February 10, 2022. The corresponding decision was made by the Latvian government at a meeting on October 19, according to the news portal Delfi.

At the meeting, Interior Minister Marija Golubeva noted that during the state of emergency “it is planned to continue the implementation of measures already taken to protect the border.”

As reported, on October 18, officers of the State Border Guard of Latvia prevented 15 foreigners from illegally crossing the Latvian-Belarusian border. No one was detained.

Since August 10, when a state of emergency was declared in the regions bordering on Belarus, 1,785 illegal migrants have not been allowed into Latvia. During the same time, 50 people were admitted for humanitarian reasons. Since the beginning of the year, 402 foreigners who illegally crossed the border have been detained in the country.

Due to the increase in the flow of illegal migrants from the Belarusian side, Lithuania introduced an extreme situation regime throughout the country, Latvia and Poland - a state of emergency in the regions bordering Belarus.

The leadership of the Baltic states and Poland blames the Belarusian authorities for the migration crisis at the border, the latter deny all accusations.