In light of the upcoming NATO summit that is scheduled to take place on July 11 and 12 in Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, the government of the country has decided to reinstate internal border controls.
Announcing the news, the Ministry of Interior of Lithuania said that the internal border controls will remain in place for a period of seven days, from July 7 at 8 am until July 13 at 8 am, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
According to the Minister of Interior of Lithuania, Agnė Bilotaitė, the decision to temporarily introduce internal border controls stems from the commitment to ensure security during this important event.
“We take the potential risks seriously and are prepared to ensure public, national and NATO security during this critical event. The decision to resume checks at the internal border would allow for a purposeful distribution of human resources and more effective management of possible threats,” the statement of Minister Bilotaitė reads.
During the time that the internal border controls are in place in Lithuania, travellers are not expected to experience inconveniences due to additional procedures. However, everyone should be prepared for a longer waiting time than usual, as all documents need to be checked.
All persons crossing the internal border of Lithuania will be required to present their valid travel documents, such as passports and identity cards when crossing the border then the internal border controls are in place.
In addition to the above-mentioned, the Ministry noted that controls are also expected to be renewed for passengers on domestic flights between countries belonging to the Schengen Area.
Controls are expected to be renewed for ferries at border checkpoints in seaports, too, as well as for those who will be crossing the land border with Poland and Latvia.
“Depending on the situation and potential threats, inspections will be carried out in a selective manner based on risk analysis at any time of the day. Temporary infrastructure will be used for inspections, and temporary road signs and barriers will be erected to regulate traffic,” the Ministry highlighted.
To aid the implementation of the internal controls, officers, as well as border guards from Latvia and Poland, will also be assisting with checks at the internal border.
Moreover, the Lithuanian army, border guards from Estonia and Moldova, and additional forces from Frontex will be deployed to ensure the security of borders during the time that the summit takes place.
Each Schengen Area country can reinstate internal border controls when needed to prevent violations of internal security and public order effectively.
The reinstatement of internal border controls for significant and large-scale events is a common practice among Schengen countries. Previous NATO summits have prompted Latvia, Poland, and Spain to reinstate border controls.