The EU will hold a special meeting to discuss how to deal with Lithuanian border situation

　　China News Agency, Brussels, August 13 (Reporter De Yongjian) The European Union announced on the 13th that at the request of the Lithuanian authorities, the EU will hold a special meeting on August 18 to discuss how to deal with the recent "tight" Lithuanian border situation.

　　The European Council stated in a communiqu on the same day that the interior ministers of the EU member states will attend the meeting by video to listen to reports on the border situation of Lithuania and neighboring countries, so as to finalize specific measures to assist Lithuania and other countries; the European Commission Representatives of EU institutions such as the European Union’s External Action Agency, the EU Border and Coast Guard will also be invited to attend the meeting.

　　What is interesting is that the communiqué stated that the special meeting was held in accordance with the EU’s “integrated political crisis response mechanism”; this mechanism is the highest-level crisis response mechanism of the EU, mainly aimed at “major and complex crises”, and is intended to promote EU member states and the EU Institutions coordinate their positions to make decisions as soon as possible.

　　In the past month or so, the number of illegal entry into Lithuania has increased significantly, and the border situation has become increasingly "tightened".

According to a report by the European Union Border and Coast Guard on the 12th, the Lithuanian authorities registered more than 3,000 illegal entries in the area bordering Lithuania and Belarus in July, a significant increase from the past. Two-thirds of the illegal immigrants came from Iraq.

　　At the same time, in July, the Polish authorities registered about 180 illegal entries in the border area between Poland and Belarus, and the Latvian authorities registered about 200 illegal entries in the border area between Latvia and Belarus.

　　Facing the constant influx of refugees, Lithuania has frequently asked the European Union for help. European Council President Michelle and other politicians have visited Lithuania; on August 11, the European Union announced that it would urgently assist Lithuania with 36.7 million euros to help Lithuania expand its refugee population. Resettlement facilities provide refugees with food, medicine, clothing, emergency shelter, personal hygiene kits and other materials, and arrange for refugees to receive isolation and vaccinations against the new crown.

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