Latvia has refused to close the only border crossing with Belarus
The Latvian government has decided not to close the “Paternieki” checkpoint—the only operational checkpoint on the border with Belarus—for the time being. This issue was discussed at a closed-door meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
The Ministry of the Interior proposed the closure, citing a sharp increase in the flow of illegal migrants from Belarus. Since the beginning of the year, Latvian border guards have detained more than 9,000 illegal migrants.
Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs stated that closing the checkpoint is unlikely to affect the situation, as illegal migrants cross the border outside of official checkpoints. At the same time, he noted that such a step remains a possibility in the future.
The “Paternieki” checkpoint has been temporarily closed since July 31 due to a technical malfunction, which, according to the Latvian side, is already being resolved.
Source: LSM.
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