Lithuania has filed a case against Belarus at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing its neighbour of violating international law by allegedly orchestrating the smuggling of migrants across their shared border and demanding compensation for the resulting damage.
In a statement released on Monday, Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry said the case centres on Belarus’ alleged breach of the United Nations Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air.
The complaint was submitted to the ICJ in The Hague after efforts to resolve the dispute through bilateral talks failed.
Vilnius claims that Belarus, through direct state involvement, facilitated irregular migration into Lithuania, particularly through an increase in flights operated by Belarusian state-owned carriers from regions including the Middle East.
According to Lithuania, migrants were then guided to its border by Belarusian security personnel and coerced into crossing illegally.
The Lithuanian government further alleges that Belarusian border authorities refused to cooperate in efforts to prevent such crossings.
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Vilnius is requesting the ICJ to hold Belarus legally responsible for breaching the international protocol on migrant smuggling.
Lithuania is also seeking full compensation for the alleged damage incurred, including expenses related to strengthening its border, though no specific amount was disclosed.
The influx of migrants from Belarus into EU territory has been a major point of tension since 2021.
European Union officials have accused Minsk of weaponising migration, a tactic they say is aimed at destabilising the bloc.
Belarus is a staunch ally of Russia and allowed Moscow to use part of its territory to launch its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In December, the EU authorised Poland and other frontline states to temporarily suspend certain asylum rights in cases where migrants are being deliberately used by Belarus and Russia
