Lithuania blocks 38 migrants attempting entry from Belarus

Lithuanian border guards denied entry to 38 migrants who attempted to cross into the country from Belarus on Friday, May 1, according to the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), as reported by LRT.

Data from neighbouring countries shows similar pressure along the region’s borders. Over the past 24 hours, Latvia blocked 51 migrants from entering, while Poland reported no attempted crossings during the same period.

Lithuania has recorded hundreds of such incidents this year. Since the beginning of 2026, border authorities have prevented 705 migrants from entering the country at unauthorised crossing points. In comparison, more than 1,600 such cases were recorded throughout 2024.

Since the start of the migration crisis in 2021, which the European Union links to the actions of Belarusian authorities, approximately 25,300 migrants have been denied entry into Lithuania.

The surge in attempted illegal crossings began in 2021, when eastern EU member states reported a significant increase in migrant flows arriving via Belarus, placing sustained pressure on the bloc’s external borders.

By Tamilla Hasanova