Lithuania turns back 27 migrants at Belarus border

Lithuanian border guards turned back 27 irregular migrants at the border with Belarus over the past 24 hours, LRT reported Friday, citing the State Border Guard Service.

Latvian border guards turned back 30 migrants on Thursday, while Polish authorities thwarted 11 attempts to enter the country illegally on Wednesday.

Lithuania has refused entry to more than 1,100 irregular migrants so far this year.

Last year, people attempted to enter Lithuania illegally from Belarus at unauthorised locations more than 1,600 times. The figure was 1,002 the year before.

Since the start of the migration crisis caused by Belarus, Lithuanian border guards have prevented more than 25,600 foreigners from entering the country illegally.

The influx of migrants from Belarus to eastern European Union member states began in 2021. Western countries accuse the regime in Minsk of organising it.