Event report

Debate on "Migrant crisis: challenges for the protection of the EU’s borders" is one of the twelve "Conferences of the Future of Europe" organised in order to implement the strategy announced by the EP S&D Group for the Future of the EU, to raise the awareness of Lithuanian public about the EU’s current affairs and to consider future prospects, and to involve Lithuanian society in the initiatives of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The event took place: 14 January 2022 from 13:00 to 15:30 at the office of MEP Olekas and remotely via the ZOOM platform via live streaming via the Stephen Kairi Foundation Facebook account. The video of the event is also shared in this account. Organiser: MEP Juozas Olekas and Association “Steponas Kairis Foundation”. Purpose of the event: a brief overview and presentation to the public not only of physical border protection, but also of the humanitarian dimension of the refugee crisis. Discuss how Lithuanian border guards succeed in managing the consequences of a hybrid attack on Lithuania and other EU states by the authoritarian regime, which challenges border guards face. An overview of what EU border security lessons are already identified to prevent such challenges in the future. Also put forward proposals for Europe for a more effective future protection of the EU’s borders. Content of the event: during the event, seven human rights defenders and border officials, academics, politicians and civil society were discussed at one table. It was discussed what measures should be taken in order to be able to respond more effectively to similar crises in the future, using the lessons identified. Discussions were held on what EU legislation should be reviewed and synchronised in order not only to prevent illegal migration, but also to ensure migrants’ rights, as required by EU documents. The presentations were devoted to 90 minutes, followed by a debate and a summary of ideas — 60 minutes. Presentations and debates took place: rapporteur: Dr. Juozas Olekas (MEP), Vytautas Valentinavičius (Head of Human Rights Bureau of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania), Prof. Dainius Pūras (Director of Human Rights Monitoring Institute), Child Psychiatrist Prof. Dainius Pūras (Director of Human Rights Monitoring Institute), Colonel Antanas Montvydas (Deputy Commander of the VSAT), Vaidas Čypas (Chief of the Board of International Cooperation at the VSAT), Vitalij Dmitrijev (Deputy Minister of Interior of the Republic of Lithuania). The discussion was moderated by Robert Duchnevič (Vilnius district. Member of a municipal council). Organisation/methodology of the event: After a short introduction by the moderator to the topic, the content of the debate was moved to the content of the debate — the speakers made short presentations (up to 15 minutes), followed by time for questions. The presentations were followed by a discussion with people present in the room and remotely and answered their questions. Number and type of participants: seven speakers of the debate were experts with different professional backgrounds. 36 people participated in the remote discussion on the ZOOM platform. A total of 1480 views have been received so far (24 January 2022), which is still available. The main topics of the debate are: the first topic of the debate related to the controversial issue: can the EU’s borders protect both democracy and humanity? Another topic was devoted to analysing the phenomenon of migration and public health and well-being, and the experience of the world and Lithuania was presented. The third theme of the debate related to the future of EU border security, experts identified what was proposed for change today. The main ideas of the conference are: all experts agreed that the teams flowing from Belarus caused security, physical border protection and humanitarian treatment of migrants to Lithuania. This raises various views and disagreements on how these people trying to cross the Lithuanian border should be treated. It is recognised that at the beginning Lithuania was not adequately prepared to receive migrants and provide them with decent living conditions. However, at present, the situation is changing and migrants are provided with adequate living conditions as long as the issue of granting or refusing asylum is being addressed. The most important lesson learned for the future is that Lithuania must be prepared and able to balance the interests of national security and humanity towards migrants. Migrants are flowing to Lithuania, who are brought from and pushed from Belarus by the Belarusian dictator A. Lukashenko. Lukashenka uses this as a hybrid warfare against Europe to seek concessions to Belarus on economic sanctions imposed by world democracies. This hybrid attack uses migrants who simply expect a better life in EU countries. However, by decision of the Lithuanian Government, border protection was strengthened and some 7000 migrants who tried to enter Lithuania were turned back and returned to the territory of Belarus. This “reversion policy” applied by Lithuania has a resonance in the EU institutions and criticisms from various human rights organisations — Lithuania is criticised for possible violations of migrants’ rights, especially for reversing and returning children and young families to Belarus. Lithuania is also criticised precisely for the lack of sufficient living conditions for migrants. Thus, the new migration challenges and lessons identified have led to a revision of the EP, CoE and EC legal instruments to respond to migrants’ legitimate expectations and legitimate interests of EU Member States. The EU has always had the political will and a legal framework to help migrants, support them, but at the same time not make Europe’s borders “completely pierced”. Thus, the response to migration, which has been quite intense since 2015, has been different in the various countries of the European Union. It is therefore necessary to review some EU instruments in order for Europe to agree and pursue a unified policy on the treatment of migrants. A new pact on migration and refugees has now come to the EC, which is under intense debate. However, fundamental European political messages remain on how to protect Europe’s borders, while guaranteeing the rights and living conditions of migrants and refugees. Human rights experts stressed that migration was never a simple phenomenon. It has always been viewed in the theory of “threat”, i.e. politicians have identified migration as a threat to national security. Whether targeted or not, the public was given the view that they were people of different races and beliefs, endangering society, individual countries or even the EU. However, in 2015 the EU looked at the problem from a different angle — humanitarian, i.e. not only border protection, but also migrants and refugees, in line with the EU’s common values of respect for human rights. Thus, in accordance with the Framework Law on National Security, Lithuania must protect its borders, but also ensure the fulfilment of its obligations towards migrants and the enforcement of human rights. International obligations and the Geneva Convention must be respected. There is no doubt that hybrid warfare is also referred to as a threat to NATO. However, migrants brought by Lukashenko and pushed through the border to Lithuania in no way can they themselves, as individuals, be considered a hybrid threat. In responding to hybrid threats, Lithuania and other EU countries have to make a very wise choice of measures, democratic measures in line with international commitments, the essence of which is to guarantee migrants’ rights. However, it must be recognised that Lukashenko, using migrants for hybrid war purposes, has partially demonstrated our weaknesses that we are not yet ready to receive migrants and fully uphold their rights. We all understand that the migrant crisis has been artificially caused by the Lukashenko regime and that the European Union and the European Commission are being informed, which are reviewing the regulatory texts so that the EU can respond more effectively to threats of this kind (hybrid war). The situation was difficult not only because of the unexpected factor: the number of migrants at the border increased by hundreds in a few days. It is also difficult due to the logistical factor — Lithuania was ready to receive only about 500 migrants, and we had more than a thousand of them per month. However, communication and communication with Lithuanian society also became a major challenge, which was not prepared. It took time to ensure that the public was effectively informed about its security. It was taught to balance between the negative attitudes of the population towards migrants and the threat they allegedly pose, while at the same time providing migrants with sufficient conditions for their lives. The rights of migrants are currently being questioned further and ways to improve their living conditions are being explored. However, at the beginning of the hybrid attack, the national security challenges of our country had to be addressed first. The Lithuanian authorities, like other European countries, faced with the use of migrants to carry out hybrid attacks, are already proposing to the European Commission what should be changed and how to stop illegal migration flows and violations of border crossings. Lithuania cooperates with all levels of the European Commission to present the situation and discuss proposals that should be adopted at European level. For example, it is proposed to set up border points for migrants to apply for and apply for asylum. The multi-faceted issues raised by states, which have also been touched by the participants in this debate, need to be reviewed and adopted at European level, without prejudice to the human rights convention and the EU’s values in the field of human rights. Thus, Lithuania seeks to initiate discussions on these issues and a common understanding between the European countries. The overall atmosphere and the way forward: The atmosphere during the discussion was good and respectful. Intensive discussions took place between the speakers and the participants on the steps to be taken to reduce migration and ensure the protection of migrants’ rights. No follow-up is currently planned. The report was drawn up by: BG (ret) Algis Vaičeliūnas, Director of the Association “Steponas Kairio fondas”, algis.vaiceliunas@gmail.com.