Lithuania: Faced with unprecedented influx of migrants, Frontex helps Vilnius
Audio 01:13
Officers from Frontex, the European border protection agency, now patrol with Lithuanian border guards.
AFP - WOJTEK RADWANSKI
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Lithuania is facing an unprecedented migration crisis.
More than 2,000 migrants from Iraq and African countries have crossed the border illegally in recent weeks.
For Vilnius, Alexander Lukashenko is avenging Lithuanian commitment to democracy in Belarus by no longer controlling borders.
To cope, Lithuania has now appealed for international solidarity.
Officers from Frontex, the European border protection agency, now patrol with Lithuanian border guards.
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With our correspondent in Vilnius,
Marielle Vitureau
Along a fence of extremely sharp barbed wire, binoculars slung over his shoulder, Mike, a German police officer, patrols. As he walks, he finds proof of this popular passage for migrants. An empty, abandoned drinking yogurt bottle with a Cyrillic inscription. Back at the border post, he recounts his first night on patrol: “
The night was harsh. From 11 p.m. until the early hours of the morning, we intercepted more than 80 migrants.
"
Twenty-six Europeans in navy and sky blue uniforms have already been supporting the Lithuanians since the beginning of July.
Soon they will be 60. Not counting the heaters, helicopters and vehicles.
Fabrice Leggeri, the director of Frontex, the European agency, also visited the border.
“
It's a Lithuanian-wide crisis, compared to its experience, to have irregular migrants arriving from the Middle East, arriving from Africa.
"
With the boss of
Frontex,
the Lithuanian authorities discussed the return procedure, a new function of the European agency since spring 2021;
the main outcome of this crisis in their eyes.
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Lithuania
Immigration
International Migration