Egert Belitšev, head of Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board, said that migration pressure on Estonia could rise sharply in the coming weeks. According to him, people may try to leave Belarus before winter sets in, ERR News reports.
Belitšev noted that Estonia does not share a border with Belarus, while Latvia does. According to him, most of the nearly 200 illegal migrants detained in Estonia since the summer entered the country via this route.
Route via Russia and Belarus
According to the agency head, the Russian Federation, an aggressor state, deliberately simplified entry conditions for citizens of certain countries and increased the number of flights, including from Ethiopia. He said that six direct flights a week operate between Ethiopia and Moscow, and passengers do not need a Russian visa.
After arriving in Moscow, migrants travel by bus to Belarus, Belitšev said. He claims that the Belarusian authorities do not obstruct their further movement toward the borders of the European Union and facilitate it.
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The role of smugglers and pressure on institutions
Belitšev said that the entire route is organized by criminal groups, and each person pays between €5,000 and €10,000 for it. According to him, Estonian law enforcement officers are trying to detain the organizers of the illegal transportation of migrants, bring them before court quickly and confiscate proceeds from criminal activity.
In mid-September, a court in Estonia sentenced one of the smugglers to seven months in prison and banned him from entering the Schengen area for six years. The head of the Police and Border Guard Board also said that local authorities and administrative courts are under significant strain. Many arrivals claim to be minors, which requires municipalities to provide them with care.
At the same time, Belitšev noted that migration pressure usually decreases in winter, as people are reluctant to hide in Belarusian forests in sub-zero temperatures.
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