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Statement by the Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Vladislav Kondratovič at the International Migration Review Forum, General Debate on Thursday, 7 May 2026.

Mr. President,

Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour to address this Forum on behalf of the Republic of Lithuania.

Migration is one of the defining realities of our time.

Not only a challenge to manage — but a test of our humanity, our solidarity, and our ability to act together.

As a committed member of the international community, Lithuania contributes to the efforts in implementing the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in the spirit of partnership and solidarity.

Since the first Forum in 2022, Lithuania has taken concrete, system‑wide steps in this regard.

Our policies are guided not only by data and institutions, but by a simple belief: migration must be managed both responsibly and with full respect for international human rights law.

Our migration services are being modernised to improve access, quality and protection for migrants.

In the field of integration, we have strengthened reception conditions and supported inclusion at local level.

Education remains a core priority, supporting access to education for migrants across all age groups.

We have strengthened protections for persons in vulnerable situations.

We have fought and continue to fight human trafficking and exploitation.

And we stand firm that human dignity is not negotiable.

Drawing lessons from recent crises, Lithuania has strengthened border management and enhanced return mechanisms.

We have also reinforced cross‑border law‑enforcement cooperation through joint investigation structures with our partners.

Mr. President,

These efforts have taken place against the backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions, which increasingly shape migration dynamics beyond national control.

Since Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, Lithuania has welcomed more than 100,000 Ukrainians forced to leave their homes.

Behind every number there is a family separated, a child displaced, a future threatened by war.

The human suffering caused by this war is unacceptable, and we continue to call for urgent global action.

At the same time, our region continues to face the instrumentalization of migration.

The Belarusian regime must be held accountable for weaponizing migrants.

When people in vulnerable situations are deliberately used as instruments of political pressure, migration ceases to be a humanitarian issue alone.

It becomes an attack on rules -based international order itself.

Last year, Lithuania brought a case against Belarus before the International Court of Justice for violations of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air [supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime].

We urge global action to safeguard legal norms and prevent the misuse of migration for destabilization.

Migration must never be exploited as a tool of instability.

Ladies and Gentlemen, addressing today’s migration challenges requires shared responsibility among countries of origin, transit and destination.

Upholding international law and protecting people on the move are essential to maintaining trust, security and the integrity of the international system.

The challenges before us are too large for any nation to face alone.

Because migration, at its core, is not only a question of borders.It is a question of whether the international community still has the courage to defend human rights, international law, and our shared responsibilities regarding migration.

I thank you.