Latvia and Lithuania on Tuesday announced measures to counter an increase in illegal migration across both countries’ border with Belarus. Authorities in the Baltic EU countries have accused Belarus of shuttling migrants from the Middle East, Africa and Asia to put pressure on Brussels in response to sanctions following a crackdown by Belarus authorities on dissidents protesting President Alexander Lukashenko’s 2020 election victory. What measures are being taken? On Tuesday, Latvia declared a state of emergency in border areas from August 11 until November 10 along its 175 kilometer (109 mile) border with Belarus to allow soldiers and police to support border guards. The decree …
