Lithuanian Interior Minister Proposes to Declare a State of Emergency on the Border with Belarus

In this case, the army will take control of the border, and it will be impossible to enter the territory of Lithuania.

Lithuanian Interior MinisterAgne Bilotaite said that the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed to the government to introduce a state of emergency in border municipalities, writes delfi.lt.

"The Interior Ministry is putting forward a proposal to assess the situation and possibly declare a state of emergency," the minister said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Laurynas Kasciunas, Chairman of the Lithuanian Seimas Committee on National Security and Defense, said that the introduction of a state of emergency can be considered to take control of the situation with the migration crisis.

According to Kasciunas, in this case, the control over the border would be taken over by the army, and it would be impossible to enter the territory of Lithuania.

"All options must be considered, we must be ready for all situations, and this is one of the options that can turn into reality," L. Kasciunas told BNS about the possibility of introducing a state of emergency on the border with Belarus.

According to him, a significant difference would be that, "in fact, the border crossing would be completely controlled, any violations would be suppressed, and it would be prohibited to enter Lithuanian territory."

"In fact, this means that in a certain border region, while maintaining all rights and freedoms, without affecting our democratic process, only in the border space, control is taken over by the army, and the border is essentially closed, no violations would be possible," said L. Kasciunas.

According to the head of the National Security and Defense Council, under such a regime, Lithuania is not obliged to let migrants in, and the deployment of the army, according to L. Kasciunas, will restrain from the desire to cross the border.

He also noted that the state of emergency requires the consent of the country's leadership, both the president and the Seimas.

"It may be a presidential decree, and, in my opinion, there should be a word from the president as well," L. Kasciunas said.

By law, the state of emergency is declared by the Sejm, and it can be done by the president between parliamentary sessions, but then he calls an extraordinary session of parliament, and the Sejm approves or revokes the head of state's decision.

On Tuesday, the leader of the parliamentary opposition, Saulius Skvernelis, also spoke about the introduction of a state of emergency in connection with the migration crisis, but he noted that this requires broad political consent, as well as work with the public.

The politician announced the introduction of a state of emergency after a protest in Rudnikai suppressed on Monday, where several dozen people resisted the government's plans to settle illegal migrants at the training ground. The protesters blocked the road leading to the territory. Officials had to forcefully disperse the protesters.

By law, a state of emergency can be imposed in the entire territory of Lithuania or parts of it - in certain territorial and administrative units, border areas, or other parts of the state.

A state of emergency is a special legal regime that allows the application of temporary restrictions on the exercise of the rights and freedoms of individuals; a curfew can be imposed.

A state of emergency may be introduced when, due to an extreme situation or crisis in the country, there is a threat to the constitutional order or public order, and this threat cannot be eliminated without the use of emergency measures provided for in the Constitution and law.