Minister warns Latvia border incident could recur in Lithuania

Lithuania is prepared for possible provocations at its border after masked people in Belarus tried to help migrants cross into Latvia, Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said, according to LRT.

Katelynas described the incident as a further escalation and said he was concerned similar provocations could occur on Lithuania’s border. He said about 20 migrants tried to enter Latvia by climbing over the physical border barrier. Some were detained, while the others returned to Belarus.

According to the minister, three masked people, whose identities were unclear, tried to provoke the migrants into throwing stones and sticks at Latvian officials. One of the masked people then produced an object resembling a firearm and threatened to use it. Latvian officials withdrew to a safe position in line with established procedures, Katelynas said.

The minister said officials’ actions in such situations should aim to de-escalate tensions. Firing into Belarusian territory would not be de-escalation, he said, adding that officers must decide how to act based on the circumstances.

Katelynas said the incident exposed gaps in border protection. The Interior Ministry had prepared changes to the legal rules on the use of firearms, he said, which would give officers more options to protect the border. He hoped the changes would pass the approval process and not become stalled in parliament.

Lithuania has not recently recorded similar incidents, but the minister said larger groups of migrants sometimes try to cross the border. In one case, more than 40 people attempted to cross at once. Migrants have also tried to use stretches without a physical barrier because of natural obstacles. Those areas are monitored by cameras, Katelynas said.