Inkēns: Illegal migrants akin to occupiers; border guards should use deterrent weapons

Speaking on the TV24 programme "Nedēļa. Post scriptum" on August 14, policy expert Edvīns Inkēns commented on the migration crisis in Europe and Latvia. He said an illegal migrant is the same as an occupier because crossing the border immediately means breaking the law. He acknowledged the statement might sound harsh but maintained that it would prove true in the long term.

According to Inkēns, Europe's attitude towards immigrants is already changing. He pointed to Sweden, which changed its laws after a rise in gang violence, and said voters in Latvia and elsewhere are increasingly supporting parties with a tough stance on illegal immigrants. He also noted that Latvia itself does not face large numbers of such migrants, and they are not coming through tunnels in order to stay in the country.

The expert argued that Latvians are partly to blame for the attitude and behaviour of immigrants towards local residents. "We are guilty of having come forward without getting anything in return," he said, adding that Latvia is an inclusive society, but the newcomers have given nothing and do not intend to. He compared the situation to Australia, where migrants are expected to respect local cultural traditions; in Latvia, he said, people arrive to live well rather than to live with the local community, and that is a mistake.

Responding to a hypothetical situation in which thousands of illegal migrants appeared at the Belarusian border, Inkēns said after a pause that force would have to be used, noting that border guards already push back. He then said, "I guess I'm not a humanist," and proposed using deterrent weapons such as tear gas, water cannons, possibly rubber bullets and long-range tasers.