“Illegal migrants were and are used as a tool against our country, and not only against our country but against the entire European Union. In a year, approximately 11,000 illegal attempts to cross the border of Lithuania were thwarted. It is possible that there would have been even more attempts if not for this decision. The question now perhaps is rhetorical as to what the number would have been,” Bilotaitė said at a press conference on Tuesday.
The interior minister stated that the pushback policy helped Lithuania protect itself and changes are not planned because the country “must continue defending itself” due to the continued attempts by Belarusian officers to push illegal migrants to Lithuania.
Furthermore, the minister stressed that now individuals that have permits to reside in the Russian Federation are trying to cross to Lithuania from Belarus.
“They are being transported by certain vehicles to Minsk in an organised manner and then with the help of Belarusian border guards attempts are made to push them into Lithuania,” said the minister.
According to her, this is not only a matter of national security but also an issue for the entire EU. The minister said it was clear from the beginning that the EU’s laws and migration policy no longer met present day realities, and that member states must have additional instruments to safeguard themselves against hybrid attacks like the one organised by the Belarusian regime taking advantage of migrants.
The minister noted that Lithuania made certain proposals but changes in the EU happen slowly and, nevertheless, the proposals were taken into consideration partially.
She added that the Interior Ministry was also drafting amendments to the law on border protection, stipulating that under a state of emergency or martial law foreigners would not be allowed to enter Lithuania illegally.
