French, Hungarian, and German Border Guards Start Patrolling the Lithuanian-Belarusian Border

FRONTEX officers will work in the Kapčiamestis and Druskininkai areas.

On July 2, the first six officers of the permanent corps of the European Union Agency for Security of External Borders will start working on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.

According to the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service, FRONTEX officers will work in the area of Kapčiamestis and Druskininkai.

The seconded officers include French, Hungarian, and German border guards. They will be part of the joint patrols, in which the senior officers will be Lithuanian.

It is planned that the number of representatives of the FRONTEX permanent corps at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border will increase. From mid-July, 30 foreigners will work. They will come to Lithuania with their equipment, weapons, and vehicles.

Lithuania is forced to resort to the help of FRONTEX due to a significant increase in the number of irregular migrants trying to enter Lithuania illegally from Belarus. This year, 672 such cases were recorded. This number is more than eight times higher than the number recorded in 2020. Last year, 81 foreigners were detained, in 2019 – 46.

Lithuania has strengthened the security of its border with Belarus as a result of the influx of migrants. Officials from other border units have been seconded to the site, and additional technical resources have been allocated. In addition, the border guards were assisted by the forces of the Public Security Service, the Union of Riflemen, and other institutions, and now by FRONTEX employees.