KRUG 99 proposes activities to ensure crisis preparedness in Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Patria) - Radically faced with the outlines of a new world order based on the power of armed force, sheer arrogance in international relations and pretensions of conquering other territories, on the rejection of human rights and reciprocity in relations between sovereign states, the whole world is waking up from a dream of inviolable state borders and peace.

We in BiH cannot avoid the turbulence in the world, and especially in Europe, of which we are a natural and integral part.

The European Commission itself has presented a strategy for EU preparedness in cases of natural disasters, cyber attacks, and geopolitical crises. We, who are already in crisis circumstances and due to the challenges posed by a coup d'état, must immediately take concrete steps.

The population must not fear impending dangers helplessly.

We start from the premise that the possibilities for action at the state level of government are limited due to political blockades, except for what is already defined by state laws. However, the preparedness system of citizens and institutions in crises can and must be established through the upgrading of the existing institutional framework and actions from municipalities, cantons to higher levels of government.

Crisis preparedness should be understood as an obligation and a culture of danger prevention.

Therefore, "Krug 99" proposes and initiates:

1. To proceed with the development of a strategy for building an active preparedness system for all crisis situations that can massively endanger the population, whether they are caused by natural disasters or dangers from violent incidents and war.

2. To hold sessions of municipal councils, cantonal assemblies, and higher levels of government at which a general security assessment and possible challenges in the upcoming period would be carried out, and a strategy and operational plans for building an active preparedness system from the basic cells of society to higher levels of state organization would be determined.

3. To project and ensure the functioning of basic services such as hospitals, schools, transport, telecommunications, energy, secure supplies of critical equipment and materials, and natural resources, such as water, in defining the key goals of the strategy.

4. To consider the need and possibility of adopting regulations or a Law on Preparedness, which would strengthen the resilience of key societal functions on common standards and measurable goals. Preparedness and security must be integrated and included in policies, programs, education, and media. An organized effort should be made to fundamentally change the way of thinking and attitude towards preparedness. The role of the media, the education system, political parties, and civil society organizations is of utmost importance in this regard.

5. That the coordination of response to crisis situations must be implemented through regular preparedness exercises at all levels, from local communities to higher government institutions and societal organization, from civil protection, police, security, healthcare workers, and firefighters, and by facilitating investment in dual-use cooperation.

6. To proceed with the organization of mass Civil Protection, starting from the obligations of every citizen, local community, municipality, canton to higher levels of government. Mass and well-organized Civil Protection is one of the key factors in preventing and mitigating the most severe consequences of crises of any kind. Citizen responsibility for participation in civil protection units from the local community to other levels of organization must be prescribed.

7. That civil and defense preparedness and readiness contribute to facing today's growing security challenges – in healthcare, migration, technological security, climate, defense, or economy.

8. To establish crisis centers at all levels of government to improve integration among existing crisis mechanisms. Greater cooperation should be achieved between the armed forces and civil protection, regular implementation of preparedness exercises involving the armed forces, civil protection, police, security agencies, healthcare workers, and firefighters.

9. Following the example of the EU, to call on citizens to secure essential supplies for at least three days. Citizens should have a prepared supply of essential items with which they can survive for three days, which is already common practice in some European countries.

10. Lessons on preparedness, mandatory cyber literacy on protection, media literacy, and the establishment of a Preparedness Day should be introduced into school curricula to raise awareness of the importance of this issue. In primary, secondary schools, and faculties, subjects related to civil protection, defense and protection, emergency services, security culture, cyber culture, topography – reconnaissance should be introduced, and sports and shooting activities through clubs should be strengthened.

11. That special attention be paid to the protection of forest and other natural resources from hostile threats, especially in detecting arson, which is used as a mass tool for weakening state resources and endangering societies, institutions, and systems.

12. To recommend that important resources such as energy, transport, water, health, and telecommunication systems in situations of threat (natural disasters, pandemic threats, hostile actions..) be placed under the protection and management of state institutions at all levels due to possible abuses and manipulations to which private corporations and private interests are exposed.

13. That special attention be paid to hybrid and cyber attacks supported by hostile structures and states, and to spread awareness about this. This requires media and digital education of the population.

14. That one of the efforts be the establishment of an early warning system at all levels to improve monitoring and response to threats of any kind.

15. That the private sector takes on the role not only of sharing information but also in strategic planning, risk anticipation, and employee training. Cooperation between the public and private sectors in strategic areas such as cyber security must be encouraged, and labor market needs must be aligned with educational programs. This also includes stock policies that would include emergency resources, such as floods or pandemics, medical supplies, critical raw materials, energy equipment, and food and water. A combination of centralized stocks and contributions from economic entities should be foreseen, especially the provision of critical medicines.

16. To inspect existing shelters for the population and prepare them, and to ensure the accommodation of large groups of people in extraordinary circumstances in facilities intended for protection from natural or armed dangers.

17. To improve security culture and public awareness of risks through targeted information campaigns, educational programs, and available online resources. Efforts must focus on empowering citizens to take proactive measures in preparing for crises, such as developing household emergency plans and storing essential supplies.

18. To prepare comprehensive and concrete instructions for citizens on active preparedness for potential crises, including those related to conflict.

19. To launch new momentum in scientific research for necessary applied solutions, which are now becoming a necessary need and opportunity for science. Our defense industry, in cooperation with existing or new production and scientific research centers, has a unique opportunity for its own momentum, both in the economic-commercial and developmental-security sense. Productive cooperation between the IT sector, the economy, and the defense industry must, in the current circumstances, be more in the function of state reasons and interests.

Increasingly complex crises and challenges that cannot be ignored, from the described and growing geopolitical tensions and conflicts, hybrid and cyber threats, foreign information manipulations and interference, to climate change and increasingly frequent natural disasters. Crisis situations happen every day, both here and around the world. These can be events that happen quickly and end in a few hours, or they can develop and continue over several days, months, and years. Especially those that represent a general danger of the widest scale, such as war conflicts. State institutions, from lower to higher levels, must be prepared to protect their citizens and key societal functions that are decisive for the social and state order and daily life.

Therefore, Krug 99 has prepared and detailed the "Guide for Citizen Preparedness" under the title "Prepare for Crisis Situations!". They believe that a more extensive "White Paper" on crisis preparedness and security in BiH will also be produced.