Modernisation of the public warning system, development of collective protection structures and shelters

• There is two years' delay in starting the modernisation of the Public Warning and Information System. EUR 1.8 million allocated from the state budget for this purpose in 2023-2024 was used for other needs of the Fire and Rescue Department under the Ministry of the Interior.
• If necessary, there would be a shortage of space in collective protection structures for about 200,000 inhabitants, and in shelters for about 361,000.
• Warning sirens for 78% of the population are not connected to a centralised system, so there is a risk that residents will not be warned immediately in an emergency.
• It is not specified what technical requirements must be met by collective protection structures and shelters, which are chosen in previously constructed structures.

In the face of increased threats (from natural disasters to potential military conflicts), warning and protection systems must function impeccably. However, a preliminary study carried out by the National Audit Office in the audit Modernisation of the Public Warning System, development of collective protection structures and shelters revealed major shortcomings in preparedness, both in the areas of population warning and protection. The Public Warning System does not ensure that all warning measures are activated at the same time, the mobile phone warning system has not been updated for more than a decade, the criteria and requirements for the selection of collective protection structures and shelters are unclear, and in the event of a disaster, hundreds of thousands of inhabitants would not have enough space in these structures.

In the event of an emergency or threat of war, some of the inhabitants would be left without timely information and a safe haven

"We have to be ready to protect the population - to provide timely warnings of the dangers, to ensure the readiness of protective structures and shelters. The audit's preliminary study shows that 78% of the warning sirens are not connected to a centrally managed system that would allow simultaneous activation of the connected sirens if necessary, so there is a reasonable risk that inhabitants will not be warned immediately. It is worrying that in the event of an emergency, 361,000 inhabitants would have no shelter space in shelters and 200,000 in collective protection structures. There have been cases where premises have been selected for collective protection structures where it would be difficult to provide the necessary living conditions. In addition, the accessibility of protection structures is still not guaranteed for people with disabilities", says Irena Segalovičienė, Auditor General, referring to the warning and protection gaps.

Money allocated for upgrading the Public Warning and Information System spent elsewhere

In the event of an imminent or emerging emergency, the population must be warned and informed by short messages to mobile phones. It was decided to modernise the Public Warning and Information System, introduced in 2012, to ensure its cybersecurity and reliable operation. For this purpose, EUR 2.9 million has been allocated to the Fire and Rescue Department under the Ministry of the Interior for the period 2023-2025. However, after more than 2 years, this work has not started. Most of the money (95% or EUR 1.8 million) allocated from the state budget for this purpose in the period 2023-2024 was reallocated with the approval of the Ministry of the Interior and used for other needs of the Department, such as covering social security contributions of employees, severance payments, etc.

Some collective protection structures and shelters are unsuitable

The development of a network of collective protection structures (for the temporary accommodation of evacuated population) and shelters (for short-term protection against kinetic threats in times of military aggression) is one of the measures to ensure the security of the population. In addition to the already mentioned fact that in the event of an emergency, hundreds of thousands of inhabitants would not have enough space in these shelters, another problem is the gaps in the legal framework. There are no rules on the technical requirements to be met by collective protection structures or shelters in buildings of old construction. There have been cases where collective protection structures have been selected without the knowledge of their managers or in premises that are not easily adaptable for temporary accommodation, such as basements of apartment blocks, underground car parks or special purpose facilities such as a power station. Such solutions pose the risk that, in the event of a real threat, collective protection structures may be inadequately prepared for the temporary accommodation of the population, without living, sanitary and catering facilities being provided.

"We found that 91.2% of shelters were not accessible to people with disabilities. This figure shows that emergencies can be fatal for the most vulnerable members of society," says the Auditor General. According to her, the decision of the Ministry of the Interior to allocate funds for the adaptation of shelters for people with reduced mobility in 2025 is welcome, but it is not enough. "It is necessary to clearly establish mandatory technical requirements for all collective protection structures and shelters, which is the only way to ensure real security for everyone", she stresses.

Changes are already underway

A plan is in place for the introduction of a multi-channel warning platform in 2025, which will cover all the main means of warning the population, including sirens and the Public Warning and Information System. The platform is expected to be in place by the end of the first quarter of 2028. In addition, EUR 27.5 million is planned for the provision of the necessary equipment for collective protection structures and EUR 77 million for the construction of shelters by 2030.

The National Audit Office, presenting the results of the report, informs that it has decided to conclude the audit with a preliminary study. One of the reasons for this is to draw the attention of decision-makers to the problems identified as soon as possible and to encourage their swift resolution. An assessment of the measures planned and implemented by the Ministry of the Interior and the Fire Protection and Rescue Department under the Ministry of the Interior shows that they are already in place to address the identified shortcomings. The National Audit Office will monitor the implementation of these measures and the changes achieved in the future.