Lithuania has launched legal proceedings against Belarus at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking more than €200 million ($227 million) in damages over what it called a deliberately orchestrated migrant crisis. The claim, reported by local news agency BNS, accuses Minsk of engineering an influx of asylum seekers in retaliation for European sanctions imposed after Belarus' 2020 presidential election.

The case argues that Belarus breached international obligations by failing to secure its shared border with Lithuania, allowing thousands of migrants, primarily from the MENA region, to cross into EU territory. Lithuania’s Ministry of Justice stated the country is requesting reparations for damages incurred between 2021 and 2023, with a preliminary estimate exceeding €200 million. That figure, the ministry noted, could be revised as the case progresses.

The migrant flow through Belarus began in 2021 and rapidly expanded into a major regional crisis, with Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania all declaring states of emergency. While Vilnius blames Minsk for facilitating the crossings, Belarus has denied any wrongdoing and accused the EU of violating the rights of asylum seekers.

Belarusian authorities say the EU is waging what they describe as a “hybrid war,” supporting exiled opposition figures and promoting banned media outlets. Minsk has further accused the bloc of using double standards, pointing to reports of mistreatment of migrants at the EU’s eastern borders. In 2022, Amnesty International condemned Lithuania for employing racially discriminatory tactics against migrants, particularly those from Africa and the Middle East. The report alleged that Brussels ignored these abuses.

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Border expenses, emergencies drive €200 million figure

Lithuania’s compensation claim is rooted in extensive expenditures related to border security during the peak of the migrant crisis. According to the Ministry of Justice, the estimated damages account for the construction of physical barriers, upgrades to surveillance infrastructure, and the deployment of a significantly expanded security force.

The government declared a state of emergency in 2021 alongside Latvia and Poland. During that period, Lithuania blocked some 23,600 illegal entry attempts, according to BNS. The ministry emphasized that the measures undertaken represented an “unprecedented” mobilization of domestic resources to counter the Belarus border dispute.

The case against Belarus may widen, as Warsaw is reportedly considering joining Lithuania’s ICJ complaint. Poland experienced an even more intense phase of the crisis in 2021, with larger numbers of migrants massing along its eastern frontier. Both countries have since accelerated efforts to fortify their borders, citing national security concerns.

The current legal action adds another layer of pressure on Belarus, already isolated under wide-ranging EU sanctions.

Human rights organizations continue to criticize EU member states for their treatment of migrants arriving through Belarus. Amnesty International and other advocacy groups have pointed to violations of international asylum law and have accused Lithuania of rejecting asylum seekers on discriminatory grounds.

While Lithuania insists its actions were necessary to safeguard its sovereignty and EU external borders, critics argue that the crisis has exposed the bloc's failure to uphold human rights at its borders.