This is reported by the Lithuanian publication LRT
Lithuania has initiated legal proceedings against Belarus at the International Court of Justice, demanding compensation exceeding 200 million euros in connection with the migration crisis at its border. This information was disclosed by the Lithuanian publication LRT.
According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Justice, this case could have a significant impact on the consideration of similar issues at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), where disputes between migrants and the Lithuanian side are being examined.
In the lawsuit, Lithuania emphasizes that the compensation claim arose as a result of Belarus’s actions, which forced the country to invest substantial funds in building a physical barrier, strengthening the border surveillance system, and increasing the number of border personnel to record levels.
Currently, the ECHR is reviewing seven individual cases filed by migrants against Lithuania for human rights violations. Lithuania hopes that its lawsuit at the International Court of Justice will influence the ECHR’s decisions in these cases.
The migration crisis at the Belarus-Lithuania border began in 2021, when migrants from Asia and the Middle East started arriving in Belarus, seeking to enter EU countries and obtain refugee status. Lithuania notes that this crisis is ongoing.