CIVIL DEFENSE STRUCTURES AS AN ELEMENT OF NATIONAL SECURITY. CURRENT STATUS IN SELECTED EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND POLAND

Abstract

In this article, which is an excerpt from a bachelor’s thesis, the author attempts to analyze the current state of protective structures in selected European countries, highlighting the diverse approaches to planning and maintaining protective
infrastructure based on local political, geographical, and historical conditions. The work demonstrates the importance of protective structures in the context of civil security and the need for their further development and modernization. The author describes the current status of collective protection facilities in light of contemporary threats, which are not exclusively military. These also include various consequences of weather anomalies or unforeseen accidents, such as blackouts (large-scale power outages). Furthermore, terrorist incidents should not be ruled out. The article also presents current issues and challenges faced by selected European countries.