Conflict on the Fate of Kybartai Prison: Visions differ
In 2021, illegal migrants were brought from Rūdninkai landfill to former Kybartai prison. With the onset of the migrant crisis, more than 700 people were planned to be accommodated in Kybartai. The building was established in the building, but no migrant was left in prison in 2023.
Now the building is empty – it is protected by border guards. It is considered what to do for $ 1.5 million. of the renovated object. The locals say that it is not very important what will be here, most importantly, that there are jobs that are extremely lacking in Kybartai.
« Obviously, to revive, without comments, people would be, or to revive that center, now it is waiting for migrants, but will they be? », Says the resident.
« If there are jobs for the Kybartians, because there is a lack of jobs, and if there is a guarantee that there will be peace, I will not against, » another woman said.
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Two ministries – the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior – shared two camps. The Minister of Justice is considering that the prison could be returned here.
« The buildings are perfectly renovated and installed if they were able to agree with the Ministry of the Interior during the negotiations that the building is moving to the Prison Service, and there will be an open -ended prison institution, » explained the Minister of Justice Rimantas Mockus.
This would be resolved by the issue of overcrowded other prisons.
« Currently, there are 4,000 convicts in prisons, as well as 540 arrested. If we were to travel from all over Lithuania, such as an open -type colony, we would solve part of the overcrowding issue, » Mockus said.
The Minister of the Interior says that in the event of an unclear geopolitical situation, it is necessary to have a second backup if the migrant crisis begins again.
« We analyze, if not here, where we can have a reserve, we are on the road. We have certain obligations against the European Union because we have made investments, we have other reflections. In general, I think we will find the most appropriate solution, » explained the Minister of the Interior Vladislav Kondratovich.
A representative of the State Border Guard Service reminds that Lithuania is committed to adopting a certain number of migrants.
« What is declared by the branch of the Ministry of the Interior, that is, more than 400 migrants, more than 1 thousand declared by the Ministry of Social Security and Labor, » said Saulius Nekraševičius, Deputy Commander of the State Border Guard Service.
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Border guards say that there is still an emergency in Lithuania due to the mass influx of migrants.
« If we return to 2021, 300 illegal migrants were also detained a day, so let’s imagine such a center would be filled in 2-3 days, » said S. Nekraševičius.
The Minister of the Interior says that Lithuania has a number of reserves, such as a food, a power plant, which is simply considered to be used if necessary, just like these premises. It is considered whether it is possible to expand the existing infrastructure in Pabrade.
« We are looking for options as needed, requirements. We are also looking for other places where, say, the current territories exist, for example, in the same Pabrade. We have a center, but there are too few places there.
The Minister of the Interior reveals that last year the maintenance of this unused building cost over 50 thousand. euros. If the foreign registration center was operating here, the European Union would cover part of the expenditure. The fate of the building is at the crossroads between the visions of two ministries. Whether it will be an open -ended correctional home or a spare place for unplanned crises is still unclear.
