Latvia is close to finishing the construction of a fence along its border with Belarus by the end of 2023.
However, border guards say that a physical barrier alone will not halt irregular migration.
Migrants as a “Hybrid Threat”
Latvia shares an approximately 172-kilometer border with Belarus, which forms part of the European Union’s (EU) external frontier.
The EU has accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of engineering a migrant crisis at the bloc’s borders to pressure Brussels politically.
This prompted Latvia to enhance security along its border.
“We expect the entire fence on the land border with Belarus to be done by end of year,” Vladimir Sersts, a Latvian border guard officer, said during a recent visit to the border area.
Unlike Lithuania or Poland, Latvia does not yet have a continuous fence with Belarus, as parts of the border run through local bodies of water.
So far, Latvia has laid multi-layered walls of barbed wire in several places, which are easier for migrants to cross.
Most fence construction was already finished shortly before Christmas.
The installation of surveillance cameras, sensors, and infrastructure like new patrol roads will now commence.
Smugglers a “Big Problem”
However, Sersts maintained a fence alone cannot prevent irregular migration.
“The fence is not a stone wall,” he said. “It can be overcome, and finished sections are already being damaged or cut open. But the fence will buy us reaction time.”
Another “big problem” is smugglers on the Latvian side helping migrants cross illegally onwards into Europe for profit, Sersts added.
Latvian authorities prevented over 13,000 migrants from crossing over from Belarus this year, a significant increase from just under 5,300 in 2021.
Belarus and Russia Blamed
When she became Latvia’s new prime minister last September, Evika Silina accused the Belarus regime of again wielding migrants as a “hybrid threat” to undermine her country’s security.
Poland and other EU states also blame the swelling arrivals on Lukashenko and Russia, alleging that they deliberately stoke migration to destabilize the bloc.
To boost surveillance capacities, Latvia closed one border crossing in Belarus in September to redeploy personnel elsewhere on the frontier.
The military and police have also been sent to reinforce Latvian border security.
Migrants Sold “Lies” About Reaching Germany
According to Sersts, most migrants crossing through Latvia aim for Germany, with many apparently misled into believing they were somewhere near Germany, rather than Latvia, due to disinformation propagated in Belarus.
“They don’t even know what Latvia is or where it is,” Sersts said.
Tighter Borders Squeeze Options for Long-Term Stays
Latvia’s border fence may make it harder for aspiring long-term immigrants like digital nomads, students, and families.
As Latvia enhances surveillance and security along the Belarus frontier, it could implement more stringent checks on all foreign nationals seeking long-term stays.
Those hoping to settle long-term in Latvia may encounter increased scrutiny of their visa applications and find border procedures more difficult when entering or traveling outward.
A tougher stance on migration flows through Latvia could also see authorities scrutinize immigration applicants from certain countries more closely.
Fence No Panacea for Latvia’s Migrant Woes
With the fence nearing completion, Latvia hopes it will act as part of a broader strategy to halt irregular migration from Belarus.
However, border personnel caution physical barriers alone cannot stop those determined to cross through.
Latvia continues to point the finger at Minsk for exploiting migrants to apply political pressure on the EU.