Interior Minister's Adviser Ana Burkovskienė and Latvian Interior Minister Visit Švenčionys Border Station
Ana Burkovskienė, Adviser to the Minister of the Interior, met in Vilnius with Latvian Minister of the Interior Jānis Dombrava, who was on an official visit to Lithuania. The meeting focused on regional security challenges, key areas of bilateral cooperation, and the priorities of Lithuania's new Government programme.
Later, the Latvian delegation visited the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) border station in Švenčionys and inspected the physical barrier along Lithuania's border with Belarus. The visit provided an opportunity to see first-hand the measures Lithuania has implemented to protect the external border of the European Union and NATO.
"Lithuania and Latvia are bound by a close strategic partnership and a shared understanding that protecting the European Union's external border is essential to the security of the entire region. We face the same hybrid threats, which is why our response must also be coordinated. Our common priorities remain clear: ensuring effective protection of the EU's external border, combating migrant smuggling, enabling swift information exchange, and strengthening cooperation between our institutions," said Ana Burkovskienė.
The discussion also addressed secondary migration within the Schengen Area, highlighting the importance of mutual support. According to Ms Burkovskienė, Lithuania recognises the pressure Latvia is facing at its border and has therefore deployed two teams of nine Lithuanian border guards to Latvia since July.
At the same time, she noted that Lithuanian authorities have recorded an increase this year in the number of irregular migrants entering Lithuania from Latvia, underscoring the need for even closer coordination and joint efforts to address shared migration challenges.
The meeting also covered preparations for Lithuania's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Lithuania presented its priorities in the field of home affairs, including strengthening the EU's external border protection, expanding the role of Frontex, countering hybrid threats, and implementing the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.