Ljubljana - Prime Minister Janez Janša and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda have called on EU member countries to provide aid to Lithuania in the face of "ongoing critical security situation" on the Lithuanian-Belarus border due to illegal migration. Protection of the EU's external border is our common responsibility, Janša said in a Tweet.

Noting a substantial rise in the number of illegal crossing of the Lithuanian-Belarus border, the pair thanked all countries which have already provided political and technical support to Lithuania through the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) or bilaterally.

They also welcomed the support provided by EU institutions and agencies, in particular Frontex, European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and Europol.

"Protection of the EU's external border is our common responsibility. It contributes to safety and security across the EU," Janša said on Twitter on Saturday.

He and Nauseda therefore urged EU countries to provide floor bases for tents, container-housing units for winter, security personnel for reception facilities and ready-to-eat meals.

The pair also pointed to a shortage of materials (concertina wire) and modern surveillance systems for setting up an "effective physical barrier along the border with Belarus, which could help curb irregular migration flows into the EU" in a joint release.

Lithuanian foreign and defence ministers are to provide an update on the situation at the informal meeting of EU foreign and defence ministers on 2 and 3 September.

The Lithuanian interior minister has also asked the Slovenian interior minister to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council "to consolidate the support of the member states in curbing the irregular migration flows into the EU".