“Our priority this year is to reinforce the border with the Russian Federation. Yes, we do have a physical barrier and a surveillance system, but we are talking about renewing the infrastructure, increasing the number of surveillance systems, drones, officers. We have foreseen that this year 244 additional officers will start working in the border service,” Bilotaitė told reporters on Thursday during a visit to Klaipėda city.
The interior minister visited the Coast Guard Frontier District of the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), which was reestablished on 1 January 2024.
Bilotaitė said that the reopening of this frontier district is one of the moves enhancing the protection of the border with Russia. She added that border guards in this frontier district in western Lithuania will closely cooperate with the military and help secure strategic facilities.
The Coast Guard Frontier District was previously merged with Pagėgiai Frontier District in 2019. The area covers the border with Russia and Latvia in territorial waters and in the Curonian Lagoon. Its reopening will help with faster reaction times in case of state border violations and will ensure more effective search and rescue operations.