The Ministry of Interior told the media in a statement that such a decision was taken because persons who have crossed the Latvian-Belarusian border illegally are detained not only in territories where the operation regime of the border security system is currently announced but also in other parishes.
Consequently, the reinforced operational regime of the border security system, announced from August 11, 2023 to February 10, 2024, applies in general to most parishes in the Ludza, Krāslava, and Augšdaugava municipalities, Rēzekne municipality Kaunata parish, and Daugavpils City.
The order was issued to ensure the integrity of the national border and the prevention of threats to national security, taking into account disproportionate numbers of illegal crossings and crossing attempts at the Latvian–Belarusian border and their increasing trend.
Since August 11, 2021, a state of emergency had been in force in the border area, which was extended numerous times. The enhanced border guarding replaced the state of emergency formally.
