Lithuania as a destination or a stopover? Migrants in temporary residence near the Belarusian border in July
Photo: Vidmantas Balkunas
Belarusian dictator Lukashenko sent hundreds of immigrants to Lithuania, which is approaching the borders of EU countries. Many places do not want to accommodate people. Visit the border area.
Secondei Kapciamiestis is a village near the border triangle of Lithuania, Poland and Belarus. It is located in a fence deep in the forest: the Lithuanian Border Guard post. A two-story building, garage and equipment, a radio mast. To its left is a row of olive-green tents: immigrants from Belarus have lived here for several weeks, there are 70 people, mainly Iraqis. The border with Belarus is only a few hundred meters away. For weeks, this crisis on the EU’s external borders has been developing, which has brought Lithuania to its borders.
“The worst case scenario is 40,000 migrants,” said Rustamas Liubajevas, head of the Lithuanian Border Guard. “We must be prepared for this.” His agency is currently planning to purchase up to 10,000 residential containers to accommodate all those arriving in Lithuania. This alone could cost a country with 3 million inhabitants about 200 million euros.
