38 attempts to illegally cross Latvia–Belarus border prevented on Tuesday
Latvia's State Border Guard stopped 38 people from illegally crossing from Belarus on Tuesday. So far this year 12,696 people have been stopped, and the reinforced border security regime in the border area has been extended to the end of the year.
Latvia's State Border Guard prevented 38 attempts by people to illegally cross the Latvian–Belarusian state border from the Belarusian side on Tuesday, the border guard told the news agency LETA. The frontier is also an external border of the European Union, and Latvia has faced pressure from illegal migrants organised by Belarus since August 2021.
This year's figures
In total, 12,696 people have been stopped from crossing the border illegally this year. That already exceeds the figure for the whole of the previous year.
Reinforced regime in the border area
The government has extended the reinforced border security regime in the Belarus border zone until the end of this year. The decision is justified by the increased flow of illegal migrants caused by Belarus. Enhanced control applies in Ludza and the rural municipalities of Ludza region, Krāslava and the rural municipalities of its region, Augšdaugava region, Daugavpils, and the Kaunata rural municipality of Rēzekne region.
Comparison with earlier years
Last year the border guard prevented 12,046 attempts to cross illegally, while 31 illegal migrants were not denied crossing on humanitarian grounds.
A year earlier, in 2024, 5,388 people were deterred, and 26 people were admitted to the country on humanitarian grounds. In 2023, illegal crossings were prevented for 13,863 people, and 428 were admitted on humanitarian grounds. In 2022, 5,286 attempts were stopped, while 217 people were not refused crossing for humanitarian reasons.
