Lithuania's Migrant Accommodation Reaches 60% Capacity as Migration from Latvia Rises

The Lithuanian Reception and Integration Agency has reported that its temporary accommodation centres in Vilnius, Rukla and Pabradė have reached 60% capacity. The three centres have a total capacity of 1,000 people, and as of July 13 they were housing 628 foreign nationals. The agency stated that vacant places are still available, so there is no immediate need to activate additional infrastructure, but the situation is being continuously monitored in coordination with the Interior Ministry.

Agency spokeswoman Lina Gediminė said that capacity is being strengthened as migrant numbers rise, and if necessary, adequate housing, social and healthcare services, legal aid and translation services will be ensured.

The State Border Guard Service noted that its detention facilities are currently at 50% capacity, indicating no immediate need for expansion. Secondary migration from Latvia remains volatile and inconsistent. An agreement has been reached with Latvian authorities under which Latvia will take back 58 migrants by next Tuesday.

In the first six months of this year, secondary migration flows from Latvia rose sharply to more than 1,200 foreign nationals, compared with just over 300 during the same period last year.

Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas said last week that the state could mobilise additional resources, including setting up container camps, if required. While he did not rule out temporarily reinstating border controls with Latvia, President Gitanas Nausėda voiced scepticism about such a move.

Border guard figures show that more than 8,000 migrants have attempted to enter Latvia this year, where they were either detained and returned to Belarus or turned back at the border. This is nearly nine times the number of attempted crossings from Belarus into Lithuania over the same period.