Lithuania to Abolish Border Controls With Latvia on June 1

Lithuania’s government has approved a proposal of the Interior Minister, Rita Tamašuniene to abolish border checks with Latvia from June 1, which have been imposed due to Coronavirus, the Ministry of Interior of Lithuania announced.

The decision was taken after the number of infections in both countries decreased in the last weeks, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

“As the pandemic situation in the world stabilizes, we see more and more countries opening their borders. We are also ready to continue phasing out restrictions from June 1. Border controls at the border with Latvia will be abolished. This decision will speed up the movement across the border and ensure a more comfortable trip,” Minister Tamašunienė announced.

On May 15, the Baltic states decided to reopen their common borders and created a “small Schengen zone” of nearly 6 million people.

Although Baltic states’ “mini-Schengen” has been created to facilitate the movement between three countries, it has caused debates within the European Union.

The Vice President of the European Commission, Margaritis Schinas has criticized the idea of the creation of a ‘mini-Schengen’ area within the European Union, upon the end of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m going to give you an example of borders. In no way will the intention to return to our usual Schengen, removing the current restrictions on our internal borders, be replaced by a kind of regional mini Schengens that fragment our single market and discriminate against non-participating member states. This is not possible,” he insisted.

As per the travel restrictions which have been imposed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Latvia’s Health Minister Ilze Vinkele stressed that Latvia would be more cautious than Estonia when relaxing restrictions.

The leaders of the Baltic States have been discussing the removal of mutual borders since April’s last week, in a bid to facilitate the free movement between the countries.