Latvian border guards deny entry to 58 foreigners amid migrant surge

Latvian border guards turned away 58 foreign nationals on Saturday as the country continues to grapple with an influx of migrants. This action comes amid ongoing efforts to manage the border situation, particularly in light of increased pressure from Belarus.

In contrast, Polish authorities reported no instances of illegal border crossing attempts on Friday. This suggests a potentially different pattern of movement or enforcement along the Polish-Belarusian border.

Latvia has been on the front lines of the migrant crisis that began in 2021, which Western countries attribute to the regime in Minsk. Since the crisis started, Latvian officials have prevented a significant number of individuals from entering the country. Last year, over 1,600 people were stopped from illegally crossing into Lithuania from Belarus. This year, the number of individuals denied entry stands at 858. In total, since the crisis began, Latvia has blocked entry for 25,300 illegal migrants.