Minister to propose government dismiss border guard chief Liubajevas

Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas will propose that the government dismiss Rustamas Liubajevas as head of the State Border Guard Service, LRT reported. The government is expected to decide on the proposal at its meeting on Wednesday.

A draft government resolution registered by the Interior Ministry on Tuesday proposes dismissing Liubajevas from Wednesday.

Liubajevas decided to step down while law enforcement was investigating an incident at the border and the State Border Guard Service was conducting an internal inspection into how the incident was reported. He informed Katelynas of his decision on Monday.

The dispute over Liubajevas’s position began after reports emerged about an incident in late July at the Kapčiamiestis border guard station. Four border guards reportedly set up an ambush after a tunnel being dug under the state border was discovered. The officers detained several migrants and handcuffed them, but about 20 foreigners attacked the guards during the detention. The officers had to flee, while the migrants, including those in handcuffs, escaped to Belarus.

The State Border Guard Service reported that a tunnel had been found and that migrants had escaped, but did not disclose that the officers had been attacked. The Delfi news portal reported the incident citing sources, while the Lrytas portal reported last week that one officer had been injured.

Officers’ trade unions have welcomed Liubajevas’s resignation but said the incident must be fully investigated. Some opposition politicians criticised Katelynas, alleging that the border guard chief decided to step down under pressure from the minister.

Liubajevas has led the State Border Guard Service since December 2019. He was appointed to a first term at that time and to a second term at the end of 2024. Before that, he was chief adviser in the Interior Ministry’s Public Security Policy Group.