On 29 October, the Latvian Seimas adopted amendments to the Law on the State Border Service, according to which, when guarding the state border, Latvian border guards will be able to use weapons not only for self-defence, but also to repel an attack on a border service infrastructure facility.
Source: “European Truth” with reference to Delfi
Details: Border guards will have the right to use physical force, special fighting techniques, special equipment, weapons, and also use a service dog to repel an attack on an object protected by the State Border Service or an infrastructure facility on the state border.
Border guards will be able to use weapons without warning if this is impossible in a specific situation.
The changes also provide that in the event of the use of weapons, if a person is injured or dies, the border guard shall immediately, but no later than within 24 hours, notify the prosecutor’s office.
The Chairman of the Defence Committee, Raimonds Bergmanis, previously noted that the inviolability of the state border and the protection of infrastructure during hybrid warfare are an important component of Latvia’s territorial integrity. The amendments to the law strengthen the capabilities of border guards to immediately stop violations.
Background :
- On the night of 5-6 October, aggressive armed men in masks tried to smuggle 20 illegal migrants from Belarus to Latvia. The people accompanying the migrants threatened the soldiers who did not allow them to cross the border. A few hours later, the masked men entered the territory of Latvia and damaged the infrastructure.
- The previously little-known group “Black Rus” claimed responsibility for the incident.
- Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, commenting on the incident, stated that Moscow was behind it.
- The self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, accused the Latvian side of staging an incident on the border in early October in order to receive money from the EU.
