From October 8-10, 2025, the Chief of the State Border Guard, General Guntis Pujāts, participated in a meeting of the chiefs of border guard agencies from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and Ukraine, which took place in Augšdaugava municipality.
The Latvian and foreign delegations assessed the current risks to the European Union's external border and their impact on the security of national borders. They were introduced to the tasks and results of the State Border Guard Daugavpils and VRS Ludza Boards, and discussed the development and operation of the liaison officer network in the countries of residence. Representatives of the State Border Guard also presented a scientific study to the foreign delegations on "Integrated Border Management as a Potential Deterrent on the North-Eastern Flank of NATO and Schengen." The delegations also visited the Šķaune Border Guarding Division and the Silene Border Guarding Division of the State Border Guard Daugavpils Board, where they familiarized themselves with the infrastructure built on the Latvia-Belarus border.
During the event, the chiefs of the institutions signed an Agreement between the State Border Guard of the Republic of Latvia, the State Border Guard Service of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, and the Police and Border Guard Board of the Republic of Estonia on joint action to temporarily reintroduce border control at internal borders. The Agreement provides for the countries' readiness to effectively carry out the temporary reintroduction of border controls in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code, to prevent threats to internal security, combat illegal migration, and prevent illegal crossing of the state border.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Latvian and foreign delegations emphasized the importance of close cooperation to continue addressing common challenges, strengthen regional security, and establish an effective border control system.
Particular emphasis must be placed on the financial support from the European Union, which is vitally important for the construction and modernisation of the external border's technological infrastructure and the development of secure IT systems. EU solidarity and investment, especially through the Internal Security Fund and the Border Management and Visa Instrument, are the foundation for effective integrated border management and guaranteeing the security of the entire Schengen area.
