On 14 November, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted a decision on granting funding of 295 384 euros to the Ministry of Interior for covering costs related to the situation on the border of the Republic of Latvia – the Republic of Belarus.
The funding is intended for the State Police (SP) - 124 682 euros, the State Border Guard (SBG) - 114 830 euros, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) - 53 218 euros, and the State Security Service (SSS) - 2 654 euros.
The expenditure, which is incurred during the period from 1 November 2021 to 30 November 2021, relates to overtime payments, night shifts, allowances for personal contribution and quality of work, business trips, catering, provision of clothing and personal protective equipment required for service or job duties, as well as for maintenance and daily allowance of asylum seekers.
To mitigate the risks and threats of illegal immigration, and create obstacles for activities of persons who plan, organise and implement illegal immigration on the Latvian – Belarusian border, number of assignments was increased in border guard divisions of SBG, and also support measures were ensured. Whereas on the Latvian – Russian border a strengthened border surveillance regime has been introduced to ensure more intense surveillance and control of the state border.
Over the period from 1 November 2021 to 30 November 2021, the officers of SBG have prevented 632 persons from crossing the state border illegally, and have detained 26 persons. In total, from 10 August 2021 to 13 December 2021, the officers of SBG have prevented 2919 persons from illegally crossing the state border.
Whereas SP provided support to SBG in ensuring surveillance of the border to prevent illegal crossing of the border. The best trained and equipped officers of the numerically largest structural units were involved for border surveillance support. Officials from Riga’s and regional structural units were commanded for provision of support on the Latvian – Belarusian border, also involving officials of Latgale Regional Board. In order to provide support in implementation of measures necessary for SBG, also officers of SSS were involved.
Considering the dramatic increase in the number of asylum seekers in August 2021, also intensity and amount of work carried out by OCMA in relation to examination of cases of asylum seekers, as well as accommodation of asylum seekers, including ensuring compliance with requirements of Covid-19 quarantine regime, increased rapidly.
As previously reported, considering the hybrid operation organised by Lukashenko’s regime and mass influx of people on the Latvian – Belarusian border, an emergency situation is announced at the Belarusian border until 10 February 2022.