Warsaw approves civil defence initiative valued at billions
The Polish government has adopted the Civil Protection and Defence Programme for 2025-2026, earmarking billions of zlotys for the initiative, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration (MSWiA) reported Tuesday.
"We are allocating an additional PLN 5 billion (EUR 1.17 ln – PAP) for civil protection," the ministry stated in a post on X.
According to the body, Poland's overall state budget expenditures for civil protection in 2025 will reach PLN 16 billion (EUR 3.76 bln).
"The bulk of these funds will be directed to local authorities, who will be able to allocate them for various purposes, including the construction and renovation of civil protection facilities, logistical support, supply continuity, and education and training," the MSWiA further elaborated in the post.
The Civil Protection and Defence Programme was made possible under the Civil Protection and Defence Act, which came into force in early 2025. The initiative includes the construction and renovation of shelters, improvements to emergency response capabilities, and measures to ensure the uninterrupted flow of supplies and continuity of state operations in the event of war or crisis. This adds to plans to review facilities that could serve as mass protection sites.
Under the programme, Poland is prioritising investments in Shield East — an initiative aimed to fortify the country's borders with Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Additionally, local authorities will be tasked with identifying the most vulnerable sites.
As part of this framework, Poland also plans to replenish its emergency warehouses for potential short-term crises lasting up to three days and to acquire resources for operations in the event of biological, nuclear, terrorist, or military threats.
In 2025 and 2026, Warsaw plans to spend a minimum of 0.3 percent of its GDP to implement the programme, with half of that amount earmarked for defence-related goals. (PAP)
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