Due to the growing migratory pressure at Lithuania’s border with Belarus, Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency will significantly increase its support to Lithuania next week.
European standing corps teams already help the country with border control and surveillance. The operation, which started with the deployment of a dozen officers and patrol cars, will more than double in size next week.
Frontex will also provide Lithuania with experts who will assist national authorities with gathering data on illegal border crossings and support the exchange of operational information.
“We are ready to strengthen our level of support and deploy more European standing corps officers and equipment. We are speeding up and beefing up what was already planned. And in close cooperation with the Lithuanian authorities we are preparing furthermore a Rapid Border Intervention,” said Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri.
“Lithuania’s border is our common external border and Frontex stands ready to help where needed,” he added.
In June, the number of illegal border crossings from Belarus into Lithuania rose six-fold, increasing the pressure on national border control authorities.