Feb 19 • 14:29 UTC 🇱🇹 Lithuania 15min

Planned to fly from Vilnius to Amsterdam - forcibly sent to Latvia

An Algerian asylum seeker traveling from Latvia to Vilnius was detained by Lithuanian border guards for lacking valid documentation.

An Algerian asylum seeker, who had intended to board a flight from Vilnius to Amsterdam, was intercepted by Lithuanian border officials while traveling on a train. Officers conducted checks on passengers arriving from Riga, Latvia, as part of their efforts to prevent illegal secondary migration through Lithuania. The 31-year-old man raised suspicions due to his lack of valid travel documents and presented only a photo of his asylum seeker card from Latvia on his mobile phone.

During the train's arrival in Šiauliai, border guards detained the man and transferred him to the Pagėgiai border guard precinct. The situation raises concerns regarding the movement of asylum seekers within the EU and the challenges posed by differing policies across member states. Lithuania's border control measures highlight the country's ongoing vigilance against unauthorized migration, especially from regions facing instability.

The implications of such incidents can affect bilateral relations, particularly with countries like Latvia, and serve to reinforce the significance of secure documentation for asylum seekers traveling within the EU. This incident underscores the realities confronted by migrants in search of safety and the legal frameworks that govern their movement across borders.

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