Lithuania is seeking reparations over the migrant crisis at its border that it blames on Minsk
Lithuania is seeking over €200 million ($227 million) in damages from Belarus over a migrant crisis that Vilnius says was deliberately orchestrated by Minsk, local news agency BNS has reported.
The crisis began in 2021, when Belarus emerged as a major transit route for migrants from the Middle East attempting to reach the EU. While Poland was most heavily affected, the flow also impacted Latvia and Lithuania. Minsk has denied any involvement in facilitating illegal crossings and has accused EU states of mistreating asylum seekers.
According to the outlet’s report on Monday, citing Lithuania’s Ministry of Justice, the claim stems from a case filed last week with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which Lithuania accused Belarus of having breached international obligations by failing to secure the shared border.
“The Republic of Lithuania’s complaint states that the country will seek reparations, and (…) the preliminary estimated damage exceeds €200 million,” the ministry told BNS, noting that the figure reflects spending by domestic authorities between 2021 and 2023 and may be revised.
Expenses cited in the complaint include the construction of physical barriers, upgrades to surveillance systems, and the deployment of an “unprecedented” number of personnel to the border.
In 2021, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland declared states of emergency and announced plans to build barriers. Warsaw is now reportedly considering joining Lithuania’s case.
Lithuania’s border guards have blocked 23,600 illegal entry attempts since the start of the crisis, according to BNS.
A 2022 Amnesty International report accused Lithuania of employing racially biased and unlawful tactics against migrants from Africa and the Middle East. Brussels turned a blind eye to the violations, the report said.
Tensions between Belarus and the EU escalated after the country’s 2020 presidential election and subsequent mass protests over what the opposition claimed was widespread fraud. Minsk rejected the allegations, insisting that the unrest was instigated by the US and its European “satellites,” as well as neighboring Ukraine.
The EU has accused Belarus of engineering the migrant influx by arranging flights from countries such as Iraq and Syria and channeling migrants to the border in retaliation for Western sanctions. Minsk has accused the bloc of waging a “hybrid war” by supporting exiled opposition figures and banned media outlets.
