In Poland, it was stated that despite high defense spending, which reaches 5% of GDP, the government has invested little in protecting its population from threats, particularly in the construction of bomb shelters.
This was stated by Sławomir Cenckiewicz, head of the National Security Bureau of Poland and key advisor to President Karol Nawrocki, as quoted by the Financial Times.
The publication states that starting in 2026, Poland will require developers to allocate space for bomb shelters in most new buildings. In this way, Poland aims to restructure its weak civil defense in light of the threat of Russian aggression.
As Cenckiewicz noted, most shelters were built during the communist era and are now in a deplorable state. This is a 'giant problem,' he added.
'We really need to enhance our civil resilience... In recent years, Poland has focused on modernizing its armed forces and has forgotten about this,' the official said.
In addition to the new construction law, Prime Minister Donald Tusk's government has allocated 16 billion zlotys (3.8 billion euros) in this year's budget for the construction of shelters.
Cities, including the capital Warsaw, are directing part of their own funds towards the modernization and expansion of existing facilities.
In December, Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski announced a project to convert the city’s metro into a shelter for 100,000 residents, where they will be provided with folding beds, drinking water, and blankets.
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