Lithuanian officials say that the country is considering taking legal measures against Belarus for deliberately bringing migrants across its border.
If it goes ahead with the plan, it may file a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“We have enough evidence that for two years the Belarusian regime has not only been deliberately pushing people onto the territory of Lithuania, but also taking measures to ensure that migrants can enter the territory of Lithuania,’’ Justice Minister Ewelina Dobrowolska said on Wednesday.
Dobrowolska said that first, the Foreign Ministry would send a note to Minsk with a proposal to settle the dispute through arbitration.
If this is rejected, Lithuania would file a lawsuit for non-compliance with international laws against Belarus and demand compensation of at least 120 million euros (130 million dollars).
The Lithuanian government agreed to a corresponding proposal by the Justice Ministry on Wednesday.
Specifically, Lithuania accused Belarus of violating the Protocol Against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime.
“Lithuania will claim damages. To cover the costs, we have borne not only to provide for the migrants but also in strengthening our controls and infrastructure.
“This was not available in the country at the time,’’ Dobrowolska said.
Lithuania’s shared border with Belarus extended for nearly 680 kilometres.
The move came after a surge in undocumented border crossings from Belarus in the summer and autumn of 2021 when thousands of people tried to enter the EU.
At the time, the European Union accused Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of deliberately orchestrating the border crisis by bringing migrants from war-torn regions to the EU’s external border.
The government in Vilnius responded by stepping up the protection of the border and building a border fence.
