Latvia has recorded an increase in undocumented migrants attempting to cross the border from Belarus, its neighbour to the east, State Border Guard head Guntis Pujāts told Latvian radio on Thursday.
“Since April, the situation has been tense and complicated,” Pujāts said.
He said repeated illegal attempts to cross the border were being recorded, with 7,634 people attempting to cross the border without permission so far this year. This was up 800 from the previous year, Pujāts said.
“Latvia is currently the main destination,” he said, pointing to lower figures in Poland and Lithuania, which also share a border with Belarus. Lithuania had stopped 900 undocumented migrants this year, and Poland had recorded only a few attempts, Pujāts said.
The border guard commander also noted increased aggression. “We have to use special equipment, weapons and warning shots to prevent illegal border crossings,” he said.
Pujāts pointed to an incident in which a border guard vehicle was rammed as an example and said more people smugglers were being found as well.
He acknowledged that not all attempts to cross could be blocked and said that around 10% could not be halted near the border. He called for greater support from the military in controlling the border.
Latvia shares a border of some 172 kilometres with Belarus, a close ally of Russia. The Baltic state accuses Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko of deliberately channelling migrants to the external borders of the European Union in an attempt to put pressure on the bloc.
Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have all increased border controls and erected border fences.