In 2024, the State Border Guard’s experts and technical equipment were actively involved in joint operations coordinated by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) (therefore – Frontex) to strengthen the security of the European Union’s external borders and ensure effective migration management.
Over the year, the State Border Guard participated in 19 Frontex coordinated joint operations, providing support to EU Member States and third countries such as Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, Italy, France, Spain, Malta, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania, where a total of 287 experts from the State Border Guard were involvedas individual experts (e.g. Debriefing and Screening experts, Fingerprinting and Registration experts, Border Surveillance experts, First and Second line experts, Advanced Level Document Officers, Information Officer, Cross-Border Crime Detection Officer, Tactical Support Officers, Motor Vehicle Crime Detection Officers and Forced Return Escort and Support Officers), including 18 Dog Handlers with service dogs, and as well as Crew Members of State Border Guard technical assets.
In 2024, the State Border Guard deployed 11 technical assets: an airplane, a helicopter, four patrol boats (on a rotational basis), and five mobile video surveillance systems.
Additionally, from July 30 to October 30, 2024, the Frontex, together with the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), conducted the multifunctional maritime operation “MMO Baltic Sea 2024” in the Baltic Sea. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland participated in this operation with their technical assets. The State Border Guard contributed one ship and three patrol boats to this operation in order to cooperate with other Baltic states and Finland in controlling illegal migration, combating cross-border crime at sea, fostering cooperation among law enforcement and coast guard authorities andsupporting search and rescue operations at sea.
At the same time, the State Border Guard, in cooperation with Frontex, coordinated the deployment of European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps experts in the territory of Latvia. In total, 164 European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps experts from various EU Member States were deployed within the State Border Guard units in 2024, providing significant support for border control measures and strengthening the EU’s external border.
As part of the Frontex coordinated Joint Operation “Terra 2024” staff exchange programme, four guest experts were hosted at Focal Points (border crossing points) established by the State Border Guard. Their objective of this staff exchange programme was to promote cooperation and exchange best practices.
One representative of the State Border Guard participated in the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) operational plan activity RO-TP 1 “Support for Temporary Protection” in Bucharest, Romania, from October 28 to December 20, 2024.
In 2025, the State Border Guard will continue participating in Frontex coordinated joint operations and hosting European Border and Coast Guard Standing Corps experts and technical equipment within its units.