Experts assess compliance of Lithuanian air border control to Schengen standards

After the examination on Tuesday through Thursday, the 11-member expert group will present its conclusions on the compliance to the Schengen standards in a month, the Lithuanian Interior Ministry has said.

According to the press release, the experts were briefed on the activities and functions of the State Border Guard Service in Vilnius, they worked at the Vilnius airport on Wednesday and visited the Palanga airport in western Lithuania on Thursday.

The ministry said all countries in the Schengen visa-free zone host such checks every five years. Before the work in Lithuania, the experts performed air border checks in Estonia and will proceed to Latvia.

Last week, the State Border Guard Service received initial conclusions from the Schengen assessment panel that examined the compliance of the Lithuanian sea border control to Schengen standards in early May.

Operating with a mandate from the Council of Europe, the group stated that Lithuania's sea border was guarded in full compliance with the requirements of the Schengen law.

Land border assessment is expected next year.