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Latvian government extends state of emergency on border with Belarus for three months

This regime is in effect in the Ludza, Kraslava, Auksdaugava regions and the city of Daugavpils

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

RIGA, February 1. /TASS/. The emergency situation regime on the Latvian-Belarusian border due to an influx of illegal migrants has been extended for another three months until May 10, according to a decision made at the Tuesday meeting of Latvia’s government.

Considering that the situation with illegal migration on the border remains tense, the government decided to extend the state of emergency in the Ludza, Kraslava, Auksdaugava regions and the city of Daugavpils until May 10, the LETA news agency reported.

According to Latvia’s Interior Ministry, from August 10, 2021, until January 20, 2022, the attempts of 4,962 individuals to illegally cross the Latvian-Belarusian border were intercepted. According to the ministry, about $3.88 mln euros are needed to cover additional expenses due to the extension of the emergency regime on the border.

Latvia, along with Poland and Lithuania, has encountered the problem of illegal migration from Belarusian territory. The Latvian government introduced the emergency situation regime on the border in order to grant border guards the authority to expel the migrants back to Belarus and later extended it until February 10, 2022. This regime is in effect in the Ludza, Kraslava, Auksdaugava regions and the city of Daugavpils. The border guards are supported by the army and the special police battalion.

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