Lithuania builds 124 mile long barbed wire fence at Belarusian border

Vilnius [Lithuania], January 28 (ANI/Sputnik): The Lithuanian government on Friday said it had already built 200 kilometres (124 miles) of barbed wire fence at the border with Belarus to prevent illegal migration. “The concertina barrier has already been built in the most sensitive and migrant flow-vulnerable sections. The overall length of this barrier is now about 200 km long,” a statement published on the government website read.

The government said that the 14-foot high barrier becomes longer by 1.8 miles day by day. About 600 workers and more than 100 units of heavy machinery were mobilized for the construction. The construction of a total of 310 miles of barrier is expected to be concluded in September, while areas of priority should be done by April 30, the statement said.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Shimonyte on Friday visited the Aleksandras Barauskas checkpoint. She expressed certainty that the project would be completed on time, within budget, and stressed the necessity of installing cameras along the entire border. After thousands of Middle Eastern migrants flocked to the Belarusian border with Lithuania last year, Lithuania announced it would build the first European wall. The construction started in November.

Similar measures were taken up by other countries bordering Belarus. On Tuesday, the Polish border guard announced it had begun construction of a 16 foot high and 115-mile long barbed wire fence. (ANI/Sputnik)