On 30 November, the government adopted a decision on granting funding of 773,616 euros to the Ministry of the Interior to cover costs related to the border security.
The funding will be allocated to the State Police (SP) in the amount of 435,137 euros and for the State Border Guard (SBG) in the amount of 223,716 euros, as well as for the State Border Guard College, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (OCMA) and the State Security Service (VDD).
Additional costs are related to remuneration of employees of authorities subordinated to the Ministry of the Interior for overtime work, premiums, 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.
Over the period from 11 August – 30 September 2021, officers of State Border Guard have prevented 1,444 persons from illegal crossing of the state border, and have detained 390 persons over the period from 26 July – 30 September 2021.
Considering the dramatic increase in the number of asylum seekers in August 2021, intensity and amount of work carried out by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs 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, a state of emergency has been announced in municipalities closest to the Latvia-Belarus border until 10 February 2022.