Vice-Minister A. Abramavičius discusses migration and border protection issues in Vienna

Vice-Minister of the Interior Arnoldas Abramavičius attended an international conference in Vienna to discuss the Belarusian regime's continued attempts to escalate illegal migration, as well as the European Commission's new migration legislation.

A. Abramavičius, who took part in a panel discussion at the "Vienna Migration Conference 2022", said that decisions on irregular migration and border protection at EU level have been pending for more than a year.

"We see how the Belarusian regime is taking revenge on Western countries for their support of democratic forces by instrumentalising migrants and launching a hybrid attack.  The challenges we face are unprecedented. Protecting the external borders of the EU and the Schengen area is a shared duty and responsibility for all of us. That is why since last year we have been debating on the need to adapt EU migration law to new realities. We are actively involved and hope to reach a unanimous decisions at the EU level on the Migration and Asylum Pact", says Vice-Minister of the Interior A. Abramavičius.

The Vice-Minister noted that EU countries have different views on migration itself and its processes. In order to achieve unity among Member States in the development of a common migration policy, it is important to strike a balance between the right of individuals to asylum and national and EU-wide security. It is also essential to distinguish between normal migration by citizens and instrumentalised migration by authoritarian regimes.

The panel discussion on "Managing Migration in Turbulent Times: Key European Perspectives" brought together representatives from the Ministries of Interior from Germany, Moldova and State Security representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina.