Latvia launches Vilkatis operation to curb illegal migration

Latvia has launched Operation Vilkatis to combat illegal migration, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said on Tuesday, according to LSM.

The operation is coordinated by the Crisis Management Centre of the State Chancellery and will mainly involve the State Border Guard, State Police and National Armed Forces.

The Ministry of Defence will support the Border Guard by increasing the number of National Armed Forces personnel and improving their equipment, including through the use of drones, helicopters and aircraft.

The State Border Guard, State Police, Military Intelligence and Security Service, State Security Service and National Armed Forces will exchange operational information about attempted illegal border crossings and the people involved, including possible organisers of illegal migration.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate cooperation with Lithuania, Estonia and Poland to limit illegal border crossings and secondary migration flows.

The Ministry of Justice will assess whether the penalties set out in the Criminal Law are sufficient for organising illegal border crossings, enabling people to stay in Latvia illegally and unlawfully helping people obtain legal residence rights.

Kulbergs said illegal migration could never be reduced to zero, but that the government would do everything possible to ensure the border remained secure.

Arvis Zile, head of the Crisis Management Centre, said the pressure from illegal migration was viewed as a hybrid threat to the country, requiring the involvement of other sectors.

The operation aims to reduce the number of illegal border crossings and strengthen the Border Guard’s capacity, Zile said. It will also provide proposals for improving the Border Guard so that it can handle such incidents in the future without the need to involve other services.