The meeting focused on the situation along Lithuania’s border with Belarus and the EU’s assistance for Lithuania to manage the irregular migration crisis. The President stressed the most pressing current needs of Lithuania and the possible European Commission’s assistance: additional human and financial resources, EU mediation in repatriating migrants, resources and equipment for constructing a barrier along the border.
“The current developments along the EU/Lithuania-Belarus border do not represent a typical migrant crisis – it is a hybrid attack against Lithuania sponsored by the Belarus regime and retaliation for the EU’s support for the Belarus civil society, opposition, and democratic processes. We look forward to the active engagement, assistance, and mediation of EU institutions and member states in tackling the challenge of protecting the EU-Belarus border,” the President said at the meeting.
The President stated that the involvement of the EU institutions was a huge assistance for Lithuania. The President expressed his gratitude to the European Commission for its solidarity with Lithuania and its promise to contribute with the means needed to strengthen the border protection.
