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Border protection should be prioritized amid migration crisis — Latvian president

Latvian Prime Minister pointed out that Latvia was currently facing a direct threat of hybrid warfare from the Belarusian leadership

RIGA, August 13. /TASS/. The protection of Latvia’s borders amid the migration crisis should be prioritized, so the country cannot economize on it, Latvian President Egils Levits told reporters on Friday after a meeting with Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.

"The situation on the state border has been caused by a hybrid war against Latvia and the European Union, and it is a real situation. We have to respond and we are giving a rough response. It means that the border protection and security of Latvia are our absolutely number one concern," the president said. "This should be prioritized in the current situation in which some financial means are needed, and that money must not be saved up now. Our border and the security of our state must come first," he added.

Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins pointed out that Latvia was currently facing a direct threat of hybrid warfare from the Belarusian leadership.

"Latvia’s government has responded very firmly and promptly, declaring an emergency along the border with Belarus and authorizing border guards to thwart any attempts of crossing the border illegally. Since the government took this decision, there have been no more illegal border crossings, and our border guards alongside the Zemessardze (national guard) can completely secure the integrity of the republic’s external border," the prime minister said.

Like Lithuania, Latvia has faced illegal migration from Belarusian territory. Riga has imposed increased control and mobilized the resources of border guards and the army to protect the border. The Latvian government declared an emergency on the border until November 10 to authorize the border guards to expel migrants back into Belarus.

A few years ago, Latvia announced plans to set up 173 kilometers of its border with Belarus, including the construction of a 135-kilometer fence, to battle the illegal migration. The project was estimated at 27.6 million euros and the work was supposed to be completed in 2021. However, the construction has not been finished yet, due to deficiencies revealed by the National Audit Office. Last week, Karins stated the goal of speeding up the construction of infrastructure along the border with Belarus. This week, the government approved funding of 1.7 million euros for barbed wire fencing to be put up on the border.

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