Lithuania’s border guard chief Liubajevas resigns

LRT reported that Rustamas Liubajevas is stepping down as head of Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service after an incident at the border raised questions about the information provided and the circumstances involved.

Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said at a news conference on Monday that Liubajevas had made the decision himself.

“This afternoon, General Rustamas Liubajevas personally informed me that, having assessed all the circumstances and not wishing to harm the reputation and prestige of the State Border Guard Service, he had decided to step down as its head,” Katelynas said.

The minister said he respected the decision and considered it a responsible step. He plans to submit a proposal to the government on Liubajevas’ dismissal in the near future.

Liubajevas has led the border guard service since 2019. Katelynas said that during his tenure, the service had faced a hybrid migration attack caused by the Belarusian regime, strengthened the protection of Lithuania’s and the European Union’s external border, and operated amid exceptional geopolitical tensions.

“The institution responsible for protecting the state border needs the full confidence of its officers, the public and the political leadership,” Katelynas said.

Media reports said that during an incident at the border in late July, irregular migrants tried to drag a border guard into Belarus, but the officer managed to break free. Katelynas had previously said that, if the reports were confirmed, he would no longer see a possibility for Liubajevas to remain in office.

Katelynas said he had not asked Liubajevas whether he had known about the newly disclosed circumstances, adding that he had not been informed of any additional details at the time.

The minister said he did not yet know who would replace Liubajevas. One of the deputy chiefs will temporarily lead the service, after which a permanent successor will be considered.

Katelynas declined to discuss the migrant incident in greater detail, saying that an official inspection and a pre-trial investigation were under way.

Liubajevas said on Facebook that resigning was the most beneficial decision for the service. He said that, as head of a statutory institution employing nearly 4,000 border guards, his priority was to preserve stability and ensure the service’s continued normal operation.