Migrant crisis prompts Lithuania to consider border checks with Latvia

Lithuania may reintroduce temporary border controls with Latvia amid a surge in migrant flows from Belarus, acting Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas has said, as reported by LRT.

Border guards confirmed that checks are already being conducted, but a permanent control system would require additional support from other institutions. Secondary migration from Latvia has quadrupled compared to the first half of last year, with continuous flows of migrants crossing the border.

Katelynas acknowledged that while reintroducing border checks would be a “nuclear option,” it may be necessary to manage the influx and detain migrants at the border rather than within Lithuanian territory. “I would very much not want to do this,” he stated.

The decision depends on the scale of migrant flows and the capacity of border officials. Katelynas noted that border guards are already stretched thin. “According to my information, they won’t be able to hold out for much longer,” he said.

Antanas Montvydas, deputy head of the State Border Guard Service, highlighted that Latvia has been slow to readmit migrants who crossed into Lithuania, despite obligations to do so. “We will take measures for as many as there are. We still have 544 undelivered migrants—we received positive responses for 132, but no dates. This week, they will only take back 20,” he said.

Border checks with Latvia have already been strengthened, with 120 migrants detained in the past month. However, a permanent control system would require reallocating resources from other borders and seeking assistance from partner institutions.

Local residents near the Latvian border expressed mixed views. Some supported checks, noting suspicious activity, while others feared delays and disruptions.

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, criticised Latvia’s border infrastructure, stating that incomplete physical barriers and surveillance systems contribute to the migrant surge. “They are the weak link affecting our security. The problem must be addressed at the Latvia-Belarus border, where the root of the issue lies,” he said.

Liberal Movement leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen opposed border checks, calling it an extreme measure that would undermine the Schengen Zone. She argued that dialogue with Latvia should take precedence.

Lithuania has extended its assistance mission to Latvia, with new officers set to deploy to the neighbouring country.