By Benas Gerdžiūnas, LRT.lt.

The State Border Guard Service (VSAT) said on Thursday it will  “assess the arguments” following a court ruling which described the pushback of migrants at the border as unlawful.

“In its activities, the VSAT always follows the provisions and requirements of legislation in force in Lithuania, and the service will assess the arguments set out in the court ruling,” VSAT spokesperson Giedrius Mišutis said in a written response.

The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania (LVAT) in its ruling on December 30, which was made public on Wednesday, said border guards had acted unlawfully by pushing back a migrant to Belarus after he had crossed the border irregularly.

“By forcibly expelling the applicant from the Lithuanian territory and by not granting him a real opportunity to submit an asylum application, VSAT officers acted unlawfully,” the ruling said.

VSAT spokesperson Mišutis did not specify whether the court decision would in any way change the procedure for accepting asylum applications at the border or the actions of officers in pushing back migrants who have crossed the border irregularly.

Read more: LRT.LT