The number of migrants is expected to increase even further in August, which is why the help of Estonian and Lithuanian border guards is much needed.
The village of Šķaune in the Krāslava region is literally next to the Latvian-Belarusian border. Recently, a local hunter spotted people trying to cross the border illegally.
"Of course, he [the hunter] immediately told the municipal police. They passed the information on to the border guards and the next scene already involved border guards. This has been going on for three years, and people are used to it," says Žanis Locs, head of the Šķaunes municipality administration.
Residents are in regular contact with the State Border Guard and other responsible services. More than the fluctuations in migrant flows, they are concerned about economic and domestic issues.
"We don't feel much. Somehow it is the same as it used to be. The school will be closed in 2022, there is no post office, and there is no health center. I would like to have jobs, to have young people here locally," says Svetlana, a resident of Šķaune village.
Migrants mostly cross the border where the fence has technical gates or repairs have been carried out, cutting down trees and using tools. Last year's experience shows that the biggest crisis was at the end of the summer, and the trends are similar now.
"The weather is more suitable, people may stay longer somewhere hidden and then try to find moments to break through. The geopolitical situation and changes could also have an impact," said Lieutenant Colonel Raimonds Kublickis, Head of the Daugavpils Directorate of the State Border Guard, about the trends.
This year, more than 3,700 persons have been deterred from crossing the border illegally, 455 in June, 1,045 in July and more than 80 in early August.
"Šķaune is also one of the hot spots, I have to say. So we are practically on the line," adds Kublickis.
The checkpoints near the border are aimed at identifying persons who support illegal border crossings. Most drivers understand the checks.
"The paperwork is in order. Work is work, nothing can be done. I have a job and they have a job," said Jānis, a driver from Ludza.
"The last case was literally this weekend when a lorry, an IVECO van with German registration plates, was detected and 13 migrants were detained," says Kublickis.
This year, criminal proceedings have been initiated against more than 30 people - smugglers - from Latvia, Ukraine, Romania and other countries.
