Lithuania, Latvia, Poland turn back 100 migrants at Belarus border

Border authorities in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland have collectively turned back nearly 100 migrants attempting to cross from Belarus. Lithuanian officials alone prevented 76 migrants from entering Latvia, while Polish authorities reported turning away four individuals on Sunday.

These border control measures are part of an ongoing effort to manage irregular migration flows. In Lithuania, border guards denied entry to over 1,600 individuals attempting to cross from Belarus in unauthorized locations last year. This year, the number of individuals prevented from crossing illegally stands at 977.

Since the onset of the migration crisis, attributed by Western nations to the regime in Minsk, Lithuania has denied entry to approximately 25,500 illegal migrants. The influx of migrants into Eastern European Union countries began in 2021, prompting significant border security responses from member states.