Lithuania’s Interior Ministry has drafted amendments to legalise “not admitting migrants” during a crisis. The country’s policy of pushbacks has previously been criticised by human rights advocates and NGOs.
“The Interior Ministry has already drafted amendments [...] to legalise the decision not to admit migrants in the event of an extreme situation or a state of emergency,” Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė told reporters on Monday.
Earlier, the minister confirmed that pushbacks would only be allowed by law in crises, including extreme and emergency situations and wartime.
Read more: Migration crisis in Baltics and Poland
Currently, Lithuanian border guards prevent migrants from entering Lithuania under the interior minister’s order. This usually involves directing migrants, who have been entering the country from Belarus irregularly, back across the border.
The EU’s border guard agency, Fontex, has previously criticised Lithuania for the ongoing collective rejection of migrants, saying this practice runs counter to international law and the European Convention on Human Rights.
The possibility to apply for asylum at an official border checkpoint does not work in practice, the agency said.
Lithuania’s Interior Ministry, however, maintains that international law does not take into account crises when migration is used as a pressure tool.
Last year, almost 4,200 migrants entered Lithuania from Belarus. Lithuania calls the influx of migrants from Belarus a hybrid attack orchestrated by the Minsk regime.
Since adopting the policy of pushbacks in August last year, Lithuania’s border guards have recorded over 18,000 attempts to enter the country irregularly from Belarus.
The amendments legalising pushbacks are still to be approved by the government and passed by the parliament.
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