The Lithuanian government is becoming concerned about migrants coming from Central Asia

According to Darius Jauniškis, the head of the State Security Department, the number of migrants from Central Asia in Lithuania has increased fourteenfold since 2021. This has raised concerns related to the potential radicalization of individuals.

"The department is unable to vet all the migrants entering the country, which poses significant risks in the areas of counterintelligence and counter-terrorism. Currently, we do not see any immediate threats manifesting among the migrants, but there is a trend of radicalization alongside antisemitism and anti-Western sentiments," he stated.

In an interview with "Ziniu radijas," the country's Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė mentioned that prior to the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, the labor market in Lithuania was dominated by male migrants from Ukraine and Belarus. However, after their involvement in the war, the labor market experienced a vacancy, which was subsequently filled by migrants coming from Central Asia. 

According to the Migration Department of Lithuania, as of October 1, 2024, there are 10,600 citizens of Uzbekistan residing in the country. This figure represents an increase from 8,200 at the beginning of the year and just 998 at the start of 2022. 

Ukrainians make up the largest foreign diaspora in Lithuania, numbering 77,500, followed by Belarusians at 61,300, and Russians at 15,300. Uzbeks rank fourth among foreign nationals in the country. Additionally, the Tajik diaspora has also grown from 5,700 to 7,200 over the past nine months. 

Darius Jauniškis emphasized that citizens should not be alarmed by these figures, noting that despite the increase in the number of migrants, they still represent a small percentage of the total population. In an interview with the television channel, he highlighted that from the beginning of the year to October 1, the number of migrants who received temporary residence permits in Lithuania amounted to only a few hundred.