RIGA, Aug 26 (LETA) - Latvia already now acts in line with the interim measures proposed on Wednesday by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), said Interior Minister Marija Golubeva (For Development/For) in a Twiter post.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has today decided to indicate an interim measure in the cases of two illegal migrant groups against Poland and Latvia concerning recent events at the borders of Poland and Latvia with Belarus. The measure will apply for a period of three weeks from today until September 15, 2021, inclusive.

The Court decided, without prejudice to any duties that Belarus may have under international law regarding the situation of the applicants, to request that the Polish and Latvian authorities provide all the applicants with food, water, clothing, adequate medical care and, if possible, temporary shelter.

It clarified, at the same time, that this measure should not be understood as requiring that Poland or Latvia let the applicants enter their territories.

Golubeva said that in cooperation with NGOs, the State Border Guard provides the necessary food, clothing and medical assistance to refugees stranded on the Latvian-Belarusian border.

"The situation on the border is tense. The number of illegal migrants ir growing. Yesterday there were 68 people, today already 101," Golubeva said on Twitter.

She said that the European Commission strictly rejects attempts to manipulate with people due to political goals, recruiting and organizing illegal border crossing, underscoring that strict border control should be ensured.

Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said in a Twitter post that Latvia will not give up to plans of Belarusian special services to destabilize the whole region. "The border will remain closed," said Pabriks.

As reported, the applicants in both cases filed with ECHR are seeking to enter either Latvia or Poland, allegedly with a view to seeking international protection. However, they are currently unable to enter those States nor to return to Belarus (which is not a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights). They are thus stranded at the borders. The applicants at the border between Poland and Belarus are 32 Afghan nationals. The applicants at the border between Latvia and Belarus are 41 Kurdish-ethnic Iraqi nationals.

Taking into consideration the steeply increasing numbers of illegal immigrants trying to cross into Latvia from Belarus, the government has declared a state of emergency that will run from August 11 until November 10 in the following municipalities: Ludza Region, Kraslava Region, Augsdaugava Region, and the City of Daugavpils.

Since August 10, a total of 645 persons have been stopped from crossing from Belarus into Latvia.