2025-06-25
- The state is not yet ready to protect the entire population in the event of emergencies or war - more than half of municipalities do not have the capacity to provide short-term protection in shelters. There is a shortage of space for around 361,000 people.
- Old buildings are intended for shelters, without any assessment of their technical capacity to withstand the blast wave and protect people from collapse. As many as 91% of these facilities are not accessible to people with disabilities.
- There is a lack of clear allocation of responsibilities and preparedness mechanisms. Managers of structures selected for shelters are not informed and trained on what they should do to ensure that shelters are ready within 12 hours of notification by the emergency manager.
361,000 people in Lithuania would lack shelter space - the state is unprepared to protect them in times of emergency or war. As many as 33 out of 60 municipalities are unprepared to provide short-term protection. This was shown by the preliminary study carried out by the National Audit Office within the audit Modernisation of the population warning system, development of collective protection structures and shelters.
Thousands of people would be left without shelter in an emergency or war
According to the legislation, shelters in urban municipalities should accommodate at least 60% of the population, while those in districts should accommodate 40% of the population. In total, the state must be prepared to protect at least 1.5 million people. At the end of 2024, there were 6 344 shelters in the country, which could theoretically protect about 53% of the population, but would still leave a shortage of space for about 361 000 people.
"This figure casts doubt on whether the civil protection system today could function effectively in the face of a real threat. Although we are living in a context of geopolitical tension, the network of shelters is still being developed. There are reasonable doubts whether it would be a real protection for the population", stressed Auditor General Irena Segalovičienė.
In the event of a real threat, some shelters may be inaccessible or unsuitable for protection
According to the Auditor General, during the preliminary study of the audit, the National Audit Office noted serious deficiencies in the selection, organisation and use of shelters. Currently, Lithuania lacks a clear regulation on the technical requirements for the selection of shelters in old buildings. It is not clear whether such shelters would be able to withstand a blast wave and protect against collapse at all. It is worth noting that only from 2024 onwards are there specific requirements for the installation of shelters in new buildings, but all the shelters selected by the municipalities are located in older buildings, which are not subject to these requirements.
There have been cases where structures designated as shelters have been selected without the knowledge of their managers. For example, the Kruonis Pumped Storage Power Plant was included in the list of potential collective protection structures and shelters, but its operator was not informed of this decision, and the facility itself, being of strategic importance, is a potential target in the event of a war, and does not meet the requirements for the protection of the population. Such examples show the risk that in the event of a real threat, structures intended for public protection may not be accessible.
In some municipalities, the lack of public infrastructure has led to shelters being set up in the basements of apartment blocks. However, there were municipalities where apartment dwellers resisted the inclusion of their houses in the list of shelters for fear of increased threats in case of a military conflict and to avoid the additional responsibility of ensuring that shelters were properly prepared. This is one of the reasons given by the municipalities to explain why not enough shelters are provided in the district.
Most shelters are not adapted for people with disabilities
One of the important criteria for municipalities in selecting collective protection structures and shelters should be the needs of persons with disabilities, which should also be discussed with non-governmental organisations representing the interests of persons with disabilities. However, at the time of the audit, none of the municipalities assessed could provide documentation demonstrating that such consultations had taken place. The fact that the vast majority (91,2 %) of the shelters selected were not adapted for people with disabilities indicates that this criterion for the selection of shelters was ignored. The basements of old buildings are often selected for shelters, which are practically impossible to access independently for residents with mobility problems. The Ministry of the Interior recognises the seriousness of this problem and has allocated funding for the adaptation of 147 shelters for persons with reduced mobility in 2025. However, this step will only solve a small part of the problem.
Preparation of shelters for use - without clear procedures and responsible persons
Under current legislation, shelters must be ready within 12 hours of notification by the emergency manager. Each municipality must have a clear plan of action on how shelters will be ready for use within this time. This requires that building managers are trained in advance. However, interviews with building managers showed that they did not even know the basic technicalities: who should unlock the shelter door, take care of its preparation, equipment and sanitary conditions. Not only is there a lack of a plan of action, but also a lack of clearly designated responsible persons. Such uncertainty can lead to chaos at a critical moment and to a situation where even shelters that have been announced may not actually be available.
"It's not enough just to mark shelters on a map. Our audit showed a vacuum of responsibility and a lack of clear algorithms. Site managers often don't know what to do at a critical moment and this can create chaos at the crucial moment, which can make shelters inaccessible even if they are listed. It is essential to ensure as soon as possible that each element of the system knows its role and is ready to act in an organised way," said the Auditor General.
The findings of the National Audit Office are not only a warning signal, but also a call to action. Concrete solutions are needed: technical requirements, action plans and training for building managers, and regular inspections for preparedness. This is the only way to ensure that shelters are adequate, where people can protect themselves if necessary, and not just another dot marked on a piece of paper.