Minister V. Kondratovičius: It Is Necessary to Strengthen Resilience to Hybrid Threats and Europol’s Role
Minister of the Interior Vladislavas Kondratovičius participated in a meeting of the European Union Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels, where he discussed several important matters: preventing irregular migration, promoting voluntary returns, the multiannual financial perspective related to internal security, and strengthening the role of Europol.
Minister V. Kondratovičius emphasized that voluntary return is an essential part of an effective EU return policy, providing a more dignified, sustainable, and cost-effective alternative to forced return. During the discussions, the need for a more ambitious and modern legal framework on returns was highlighted, ensuring clarity and speed of procedures. It is also very important that third-country nationals are informed as early as possible about both voluntary return opportunities and the inevitability of forced return.
In 2025, the number of irregular crossings of the EU’s external borders continued to decline and the effectiveness of returns increased. However, the Schengen Area still faces serious security challenges, particularly hybrid and asymmetric threats, as well as the instrumentalization of migrants.
“The current decrease in irregular border crossings from belarus is related to winter conditions, but there are no real grounds to expect a long-term reduction of the threat,” said Minister of the Interior.
The Minister V. Kondratovičius also stressed that hybrid threats must remain clearly defined among the objectives of EU financial instruments in the field of home affairs.
“Removing hybrid threats from the regulations of Internal Security financial instruments would not reflect the real security situation in Europe, especially considering the constant airspace violations, GPS disruptions, cable damage, and other challenges. Lithuania, supported by other Member States, calls for continuing discussions to reach a compromise that would ensure effective EU support in countering hybrid threats,” said Minister Kondratovičius.
In addition, the Minister of the Interior expressed support for Estonia’s initiative to introduce entry bans to the Schengen Area for identified combatants from the aggressor country who participated in the war against Ukraine, given the serious threat they pose to Europe’s internal security.
If the security threats posed by russian combatants are not properly assessed, the consequences could be very severe. Therefore, a coordinated response and the broadest possible involvement of Member States are necessary.
Minister V. Kondratovičius also highlighted the importance of Europol’s role, noting that the agency’s functions as the main hub for criminal intelligence, information analysis, and exchange should be strengthened, while ensuring secure and responsible data processing and the ownership of data by Member States. Lithuania supports expanding Europol’s mandate in the area of hybrid threats, enabling the agency to assist Member States when criminal activities are linked to destabilization efforts supported by foreign states.