MEDININKAI, Vilnius District, Aug 18 (LETA--BNS) – Belarus' efforts to trigger a migration crisis in the Baltic countries is a lesson for the entire European Union, European Parliament President David Sassoli said in Lithuania on Wednesday.   

Speaking after his meeting with the Baltic parliamentary speakers in the border town of Medininkai, Sassoli said that security, defense, especially in cyberspace, and illegal migration are common European problems. 

"We have to conclude: if we strengthen European policies, we will all be stronger and safer," he said. "This is a lesson taught to us by this crisis that Belarus wants to cause in the Baltic states. "This is a lesson for all Europeans, not just Lithuania, Latvia or Estonia."

"I believe this is a time when we need to act swiftly. We need a common European policy to address the challenges we are facing." 

Sassoli also underlined the need for a European migration policy.

The Estonian and Latvian parliamentary speakers said they supported Lithuania in the migration crisis, including the country's talks on EU funding for a wire barrier on its border with Belarus.

"Of course, we are supportive, and, I think three of us, we all understand that we have the EU external border between two different countries. And I think we all need this kind of support from the EU side and also coordination," said Juri Ratas, the speaker of the Riigikogu. 

Inara Murniece, the speaker of the Saeima, said she supported Lithuania because the neighboring country's experience has helped Latvia deal with illegal migration on its border and allowed it "to act very early and suddenly".

Over 350 irregular migrants have entered Latvia so far this year, but most of them have been turned around, according to Murniece.  

Over 4,100 migrants, most of them Iraqi, have crossed into Lithuania from Belarus illegally so far this year. 

Lithuania has declared a state-level extreme situation over the irregular migration influx which it says is being orchestrated by the Belarusian regime.

In a bid to stem the influx, Lithuania is planning to build a four-meter-high wire fence topped with concertina wire along its border with Belarus, a project estimated to cost around 152 million euros.