Greece has 2,892 shelters for the civilian population with a total capacity of almost 2 million peoplesaid the Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection Ioannis Lambropoulos. Parliamentary inquiry Kyriakos Velopoulos revealed that most of the shelters are in need of repair, and local authorities are responsible for their condition.
Almost 3 thousand shelters throughout the country
According to official data provided by the Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection Ioannis Lambropoulos in parliament, on the territory Greece valid 2,892 shelters total capacity 1,981,514 people. If necessary, capacity can be increased by 30%.
These figures are given in response to a request from the head of the party “The Greek Solution” by Kyriakos Velopouloswho demanded clarification about the current state of the civil defense system. Velopoulos also asked whether there was an up-to-date register of shelters indicating their location, capacity and state of readiness, as well as whether inspections and repairs had been carried out in recent years.
Responsibilities are distributed between the authorities and the private sector
The Deputy Minister explained that responsibility for the maintenance and technical condition of public shelters lies with local authorities. In the case of private premises suitable for use as shelter, their owners are obliged to ensure readiness to receive citizens within 24 hours after the alarm was announced.
Work to identify and certify shelters is coordinated by People’s Defense Service – Civil Emergency Planning (Π.ΑΜ.–Π.Σ.Ε.Α.). Each administrative unit has special commissions for a period of three years that inspect buildings and propose new locations for inclusion in the list.
Civil protection in focus
Lambropoulos emphasized that “Protecting civilians in times of crisis—from natural disasters to military threats—is a fundamental responsibility of the state.”. He noted that Greece, as a member EU and NATO committed to strengthening the resilience of civilian structures and improving coordination between civilian and military authorities.
According to Velopoulos, the need to modernize the civil defense system becomes especially relevant against the backdrop of new risks – climate disasters, biological threats and geopolitical tensions. The politician demanded the renewal of infrastructure and the creation of new shelters that meet modern safety standards.
It is planned to modernize the shelter network
The authorities are considering the possibility of revising the existing register of shelters and introducing a digital system for tracking their status. This is not only about protection in military scenarios, but also about increasing overall preparedness for crises, including earthquakes and man-made accidents. As Lambropoulos emphasized, the current network of shelters is “base that needs to be strengthened and adapted to new conditions“
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