2024-04-30 11:12:02
The discussion was held after the Ministry of the Interior (MIA) presented on Monday the Civil Protection Strengthening and Development Program, which foresees how the country’s civil protection system will be created by 2030, the shelter network will be expanded, and the population warning system will be developed.
The head of the National Crisis Management Center (NKVC) Vilmantas Vitkauskas emphasized that the number of shelters in municipalities is gradually increasing, but, according to him, it is very uneven in different municipalities.
“That divide is big enough. We are talking about municipalities that have more shelters than necessary, for example, Birštonas or other smaller cities, and we have some that do not reach or reach about 4 percent. (the number of people who can hide in shelters – ELTA)”, said the head of the NKVC in the debate “Shelters in Lithuania – will we have to wait another 100 years for changes?”, held in the Seimas.
According to him, problems are also caused by insufficient labeling of the covers.
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Vitaly Dmitriev also emphasized that the ministry will divide shelters into three categories according to their level of security.
“(We will establish three – ELTA) categories. The first one meets the highest requirements, then public purpose buildings and the third category is based on residential houses as well (…) We have provided recommendations to the owners of private houses on how to install such a cover in the basement of the house with minimal effort”, said the vice-minister.
According to the Minister of the Interior, Agnes Bilotaitė, there are currently 3,800 shelters in Lithuania, and about 36 percent, that is, about 1 million people, can hide in them. population.
According to the minister, according to the current plan, 60% of the cities would have the opportunity to expand, and 40% in the regions. population.
According to A. Bilotaitė, the MIA is currently conducting an inventory of buildings where shelters can be installed, as well as setting requirements for installing shelters in newly built apartment buildings, installing them when modernizing apartment buildings, residents are actively informed about the possibilities of installing shelters in their homes.
“A lot depends on the municipalities, on the leadership of the municipalities in a specific case,” emphasized A. Bilotaitė.
According to the minister, the Ministry of the Interior is currently also preparing a plan on how to increase civil safety specifically in the city of Vilnius.
“Vilnius does not look bad with its 49 percent, because the requirement for big cities (to hide in shelters – ELTA) is 60 percent.” population”, specified V. Dmitrijev.
According to Vilnius Vice Mayor Arūnas Šileris, 650 shelters are currently installed in the capital. Also, according to him, Vilnius adapts public dual-purpose buildings, such as schools and kindergartens, as shelters.
In the city of Vilnius, 49 percent could hide in shelters, in Šiauliai – 54, in Kaunas – 34, in Klaipėda – 18, and in Panevėžys, according to the data of the Ministry of the Interior, 6 percent could hide. population.
According to the minister, civil safety also includes a network of warning sirens, which are currently heard by about 60 percent of the population. of the population of Lithuania, but the aim is for this number to rise to 75 percent. Population evacuation exercises are also planned, for which the National Population Evacuation Plan is being prepared, which is part of the Global Defense Plan.
Currently, according to the Minister of the Interior, Civil Defense lessons are also being held in schools. Funding is also earmarked for the preparation of municipalities that fall within the zone of the Astrava nuclear power plant for possible threats, training of preparedness officers is underway, the ministry is also developing a mobile app, where residents would be informed about potential threats in one place.
The Minister of the Environment, Simonas Gentvilas, emphasized that the updated Construction Technical Regulation (STR), which provides requirements for the installation of shelters, applies to multi-apartment buildings built on February 28.
The civil protection program will still have to be approved by the Government, and it will be submitted to the Seimas later.
On Monday, in the LRT radio debate, the head of state, Gitanas Nausėda, testified that he misses greater cooperation of the Cabinet of Ministers with municipalities, in setting up civilian shelters in them. In addition, according to him, the Government currently ensures civil safety “at the speed of a turtle”. However, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė emphasized the work already done and said that she felt the lack of involvement of the municipalities themselves in civil security.
2024-04-30 11:12:02