Lithuania installs gates to strengthen border with Belarus

Lithuania has installed gates on the Mara River near the Lithuania-Poland-Belarus border to strengthen protection of the European Union’s external border, the State Border Guard Service said, LRT reported.

The gates are in Lazdijai district, within the Kapčiamiestis border post’s area of responsibility. The post belongs to the Varėna Border Guard Unit, which patrols the border with Belarus.

The service said officers in the area often detect groups of migrants arriving from Belarus attempting to cross the border and moving along the river. The new structure is expected to help officers reach the strategic location more quickly and prevent possible violations.

For part of its course, the Mara River runs along the Poland-Belarus border. At the tripoint, it turns into Lithuania, where it forms part of the Lithuania-Belarus border. The new gates connect a physical barrier on the Lithuanian side with a similar barrier on the Polish side.

The State Border Guard Service said the gates will prevent migrants attempting to enter the EU illegally from crossing the border from Belarus via the Mara.