Frontex chief says situation of illegal border crossings to Poland 'under control'

Record ID: 1627421

  • Title: Frontex chief says situation of illegal border crossings to Poland 'under control'
  • Date: 19th July 2021
  • Summary: DRUSKININKAI, LITHUANIA (JULY 19, 2021) (REUTERS) CARS CARRYING LITHUANIAN BORDER GUARDS AND FRONTEX EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FABRICE LEGGERI ARRIVE AT BORDER GUARD HEADQUARTERS LEGGERI MEETING WITH LITHUANIAN BORDER GUARDS VARIOUS OF LEGGERI TALKING TO BORDER GUARDS FRONTEX OFFICERS LISTENING LEGGERI AND FRONTEX OFFICERS LITHUANIAN BORDER GUARDS WALKING OUT OF BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRONTEX EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FABRICE LEGGERI, SAYING: "When it comes to Poland we cooperate closely with Poland. For the time being, the situation there seems under control but we have to be ready, and to be flexible and this is exactly the role of the standing core - to be flexible, to offer more flexibility when the border guards are deployed in the regional area." VARIOUS OF FRONTEX OFFICERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRONTEX EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FABRICE LEGGERI, SAYING: "On average we see that in Poland as well there are more of these irregular migrants, these nationalities, than what was usually the case. But, again, Lithuania is clearly the EU member state, which right now is the most affected by this crisis." CAR WAITING BY TEMPORARY DETENTION CENTRE FOR MIGRANTS BORDER GUARD PATROLLING MIGRANTS NEAR TENTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRONTEX EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FABRICE LEGGERI, SAYING: "And we are also working on return because this is also part of the mandate of the agency. So, we are planning to support Lithuania, we are discussing with the competent authorities to deliver expertise in pre-return, so meaning identification, how to get the travel document to return the irregular migrants back to their country of origin. And as you may know, with the Frontex mandate and Frontex means we can also organise return flights, either chartered flights or scheduled flights and we can also support with voluntary return so we can do both forced return and voluntary return depending on the situation." TENTS AT TEMPORARY DETENTION CENTRE FOR MIGRANTS VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS AT TEMPORARY DETENTION CENTRE
  • Embargoed: 2nd August 2021 17:22
  • Keywords: Belarus Belarus-Lithuania border Frontex Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri Lithuania migrants in Lithuania
  • Location: DRUSKININKAI, LITHUANIA
  • City: DRUSKININKAI, LITHUANIA
  • Country: Lithuania
  • Topics: Europe,Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EMIBR5L
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The numbers of migrants crossing illegally into Poland was "under control", the head of the EU's border agency Frontex said on Monday (July 19) adding that the agency was ready to respond if numbers increased.
    Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri made the comments on a visit to Lithuania, where almost 2,100 migrants have entered the EU member state from Belarus illegally this year, including 1,400 in July alone.
    The agency will deploy 60 border patrol officers, with about 30 vehicles and two helicopters plus staff to screen and interview migrants to help Lithuania cope with the increase.
    Leggeri said there were more crossings into Poland by "irregular" migrants than would normally be the case, but stressed that Lithuania was the most affected country in the region.
    Poland's border guards said since the start of the year 238 people - including 141 from Afghanistan and 62 from Chechnya - had crossed illegally into Poland. In 2020 the total number was 114.
    Most of the migrants arriving in Lithuania are from Iraq. Lithuania has said the migrants are flown to Belarus on direct flights from Baghdad and Istanbul, a charge that Minsk did not immediately respond to.
    Leggeri said Frontex would also support Lithuania in returning migrants to their home countries, including identifying where migrants came from, preparing travel documents and in some cases arranging flights.
    Lithuania is building a 550-km (320-mile) razor-wire barrier on the border, which is mostly unfenced. Construction has stalled as it looks for ways to procure the razor wire.
    (Production: Janis Laizans, Lewis Macdonald)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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