Prime Minister: illegal migration from Belarus is a tool of hybrid aggression
Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and President of the European Council Charles Michel visited the Lithuanian-Belarusian border to see the border surveillance system, meet with representatives of the Frontex mission and to visit the premises of temporary isolation of illegal migrants at the Border Guard School in Medininkai.
The Prime Minister thanked Charles Michel for his time to visit the EU external border, which now must cope with the increasing flows of illegal migration schemed by the Belarusian authorities.
‘We are now witnessing an unprecedented case of illegal migration used for political purposes as a tool of hybrid aggression. The EU institutions have been notified of this situation at all levels. We already have Frontex helping our border service, but more will be needed. We appreciate EU’s unanimous response in all the difficult moments, such as the hijacking of the plane. We have no doubts whatsoever that in the future, both talking to our neighbours and at the EU level, we will be able to address the issue that - to my mind- the entire European Union is facing now’, said the Prime Minister.
According to Ingrida Šimonytė, Lithuania is, in this case, protecting the border not only of its own but of the European Union as a whole, therefore it is only natural that not only Lithuania but also the EU institutions should talk to Iraq and Turkey about the illegal migration schemes implemented by the regime. This will be done as was confirmed by the President of the European Commission, who visited Lithuania on Friday, and by the President of the European Council today.