The State Border Guard continues to strengthen capacities for receiving and returning detained foreigners, including asylum seekers.
Since 2023-2024, Latvia has experienced a surge in migratory pressure at its borders. Large groups of third-country nationals from Africa (Congo, Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Somalia, Egypt, Nigeria, Eritrea, Morocco, Comoros, Senegal), the Middle East (Syria, Palestine), Asia (Bangladesh, Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Sri Lanka), South America (Colombia, Venezuela), North America (Cuba), and former Soviet Republics (Georgia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan) have been arriving in large groups via the Republic of Belarus, indicating an organized process.
Due to the sharp increase in the number of illegal border crossings on the Latvian-Belarusian and Lithuanian-Belarusian borders, on August 10, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers supported and extended the state of emergency on the Latvian-Belarusian border. As an example, the State Border Guard's continuous efforts to overcome illegal migration pressure can be highlighted:
In 2023, the State Border Guard prevented 13,799 people from illegally crossing the state border. 408 people were allowed in on humanitarian grounds.
In 2022, the State Border Guard prevented 5,252 people from illegally crossing the state border. 217 people were allowed in on humanitarian grounds.
In 2021, the State Border Guard prevented 4,023 people from illegally crossing the state border. 446 people were allowed in on humanitarian grounds.
Thus, since August 10, 2021, a total of 28,409 people have been prevented from illegally crossing the state border, and 1,092 people have been detained (allowed in on humanitarian grounds).
As a result of the project, the prevention of irregular migration is promoted and limited, and Latvia's obligations regarding the reception and forced return of detained migrants are fulfilled. It should be noted that the project supplements the limited state budget funding in the field of migration and contributes to the achievement of the State Border Guard's objectives, as well as the implementation of the state's border security and migration policy.
From June 1, 2023, to October 30, 2024, measures were organized and carried out for the maintenance and accommodation of foreigners and asylum seekers:
1539 foreigners were provided with accommodation and maintenance.
62 foreigners were provided with medical assistance.
109 people were forcibly deported (total: 25 Uzbekistani, 25 Indian, 16 Russian citizens).
The project is implemented by the State Border Guard. The project is co-financed by the European Union. The total cost of the project is 3,319,520 euros (of which 2,489,640 euros is European Union funding, and 829,880 euros is state budget funding).
As of October 31, 2024, the project has been implemented by 57%.
