The Germany will have to create up to a million shelters because of growing concern about the risk of a military attack in Europe, according to the head of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief (BBK), Ralf Tiesler, who estimates the cost of the undertaking at 30 billion euros.

As Tizler told the Süddeutsche Zeitung, tunnels, subway stations, underground parking lots and underground spaces of public buildings must also be properly designed so that they can be used in case of an emergency. During the summer, the head of the BBK noted, a detailed plan will be presented, including the possibility of staying in the shelters for several days, with the provision of water, food and even camp beds. The project budget will reach 30 billion euros and will include the expansion of alarm systems, based on the existing NINA early warning application.

At the moment there are almost no operational shelters in Germany, as no money has been invested in their maintenance since 2007. “The operational maintenance of public shelters has been officially discontinued by the federal government,” Ralph Tiesler pointed out, referring to 579 public shelters that could serve some 477,593 people and include underground parking lots, train stations and hospitals that were originally built to withstand the air raids of World War II.

At the same time, however, there is a growing demand for private shelters across Europe, with most being located in Germany, France and the Baltic countries.