Latvian Chief of the State Border Guard Guntis Pujāts reports a rise in irregular migration from Belarus.
Guntis Pujāts, Chief of the State Border Guard, reported that Latvia is facing systematic migratory pressure from Belarus, characterized as a hybrid attack by the Belarusian regime. This pressure includes the discovery of a tunnel used by 28 migrants to enter the country, which was concealed with moss. Latvia is currently experiencing a significant increase in less formal migration routes, with nearly 10,000 attempts to cross the border illegally in the first eight months of 2026. Pujāts noted that while Latvia is not a primary destination for most migrants, it serves as a transit point for countries like Germany and Belgium. To manage the influx, Latvia has secured bilateral agreements with Estonia, Lithuania, and Finland to share border guard personnel. The country has also completed a 173-kilometre fence and launched the 'Vilkatis' security operation to combat what it describes as instrumentalised migration. Despite these efforts, Pujāts stated that Latvia remains short of approximately 200 border guards to fully manage the human resources required for the administration of the border.