CYIL vol. 13 (2022)

VIOLETA VASILIAUSKIENĖ CYIL 13 (2022) MIGRATION FROM BELARUS TO LITHUANIA, POLAND,

LATVIA IN 2021–2022 AS HYBRID THREAT AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ASPECTS Violeta Vasiliauskienė

Abstract: The Article presents the situation of illegal migration fromBelarus, its development. Further the situation and the response by Lithuania and Poland is evaluated in the light of 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and its 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, discussing the question of entry to the state and the obligations of states in this particular situation, as well as the relevant aspects of the principle of non refoulement. Furthermore, the aspect of hybrid nature of the attack is analysed, as well as the opinions of the states and international organisations towards this crisis. Resumé: Článek představuje situaci nelegální migrace z Běloruska v jejím vývoji. Dále je situace a reakce Litvy a Polska hodnocena ve světle Úmluvy o právním postavení uprchlíků z roku 1951 a jejího Protokolu z roku 1967, který se zabývá otázkou vstupu na území státu a závazky států v této konkrétní situaci, jakož i příslušné aspekty zásady nenavracení. Dále jsou analyzovány aspekty hybridní povahy útoku a názory států a mezinárodních organizací na tuto krizi. Key words : Belarus migration crisis; entry to the state; refugee protection; opinion juris About the Author: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Violeta Vasiliauskienė teaches Public International Law and European Union Law at Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution. She also teaches the subjects of Hydrosphere Protection Policy and Legal Regulation; Human Rights, and Fundamental Freedoms in the Criminal Procedure. Her Ph.D. thesis was acquired in 2014. The topic of the thesis was “The Fight Against Terrorism in the Context of International Humanitarian Law”. Her scientific interests are in public international law, and European Union law. Violeta Vasiliauskienė supervises bachelor and master students at her university, and joint master programs at the Frontex and CEPOL (European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training). Introduction Lithuania, Latvia and Poland encountered an unprecedented rise in numbers of illegal migrants trying to enter and entering the countries from Belarus. It has put a humanitarian strain on Lithuanian state – it was difficult to accommodate 4000 persons who had arrived to Lithuania in a short period of time. The measures were clearly instigated and influenced by the actions of Belarusian authorities, and a number of challenges and issues arose, both on the practical plane, as well as on legal and political fields. This article aims to describe the crisis at the border of Lithuania and Belarus, reveal its hybrid nature and analyze some relevant aspects of this crisis in the light of international law. The analysis will be concentrated around the question of entry to the territory and the question of the exercise of the jurisdiction in the process of the protection of national borders.

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