Amid a decrease in irregular migration across the Lithuania-Belarus border, Lithuanian interior and defence ministers have agreed to scale back the troops patrolling the frontier. They will continue guarding only some sections of the border.
Troops will continue to be deployed to the risky sections of the Varėna frontier district, from Kapčiamiestis to Dieveniškės, but will be withdrawn from border sections north of Dieveniškės, toward Adutiškis, according to Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas.
According to Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė, the assistance of the Armed Forces is necessary for the protection of the border while Lithuania is under a state of emergency due to the security situation in the region.
“The threats on the border with Belarus have not disappeared and have not changed. The Belarusian regime continues its efforts to destabilise political and public order in neighbouring countries, and a new route for irregular migration through Russia has emerged as well,” she said.
Anušauskas did not say how many troops would be pulled out of border areas.
Troops have been assisting border guards since last July when Lithuania declared an extreme situation due to an influx of irregular migrants from Belarus.
The Interior Ministry says many migrants travel from their countries of origin through Russia to Belarus and then on to Lithuania.
Lithuanian border guards have turned 1,613 irregular migrants back to Belarus so far this year, compared to 8,000 last year. The numbers include repeated attempts by the same people to cross the border.
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