Lithuania has filed a lawsuit against Belarus with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and accusing its neighbors of violating international law by coordinating migrant smuggling across its shared borders and demanding compensation for the resulting damages.
In a statement released Monday, Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry said it is appealing to Belarus’ alleged violations of UN protocols against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea and air.
The complaint was submitted to the ICJ in The Hague after failing efforts to resolve the conflict through bilateral talks.
Vilnius argues that Belarus has promoted irregular travel to Lithuania through direct state involvement, particularly through the increase in flights run by Belarusian state-owned owners from regions, including the Middle East.
According to Lithuania, migrants were then led to the border by Belarusian security personnel and forced to cross illegally.
The Lithuanian government further alleges that Belarusian border authorities have refused to cooperate in efforts to prevent such crossings.
In a statement, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said that Vilnius is requesting the ICJ to hold Belarus liable for violating international protocols regarding migrant smuggling.
Lithuania also seeks full compensation for allegations of damage suffered, including costs associated with strengthening the border, although no specific amounts have been disclosed.
The influx of immigrants from Belarus to EU territory has been a major point of tension since 2021.
European Union officials have accused Minsk of the migration of weapons, and the tactics they call are aimed at destabilizing the bloc.
Belarus is a solid ally of Russia, allowing Moscow to use some of its territory to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In December, the EU allowed Poland and other frontline states to temporarily suspend certain asylum rights if immigrants are intentionally used by Belarus and Russia
