Threat from Russia: Lithuania will spend €5.5 million on a new citizen alert system

Lithuania has begun modernizing its public warning system for emergencies and security threats. €5.5 million will be allocated to create a unified multichannel platform, which is expected to become fully operational in 2028. This was reported by the Lithuanian outlet Delfi, according to UNN.

Details

The Lithuanian Fire and Rescue Department has announced a state tender for the development, implementation, and maintenance of a new multichannel public warning system. The €5.5 million project will be funded by the European Union. The new platform will bring together the means currently used in the country to inform citizens about danger. These include notifications to mobile phones, civil protection sirens, and messages on television, radio, and official online resources.

Through centralized management, the responsible services will be able to activate one or several warning channels simultaneously. This will reduce the time needed to inform the public, ensure consistency in messages, and lower the risk of errors during emergencies.

Lithuanian Interior Minister Martynas Katelinas emphasized that the modernization of the system is linked to the changing security situation in the region and the need to increase the country's resilience.

Due to the changing security situation in our region, we seek to significantly increase the country's resilience and ensure the highest possible level of public safety. Rapid technological progress in communications and telecommunications also encourages us to use modern and reliable technologies to alert citizens. In the event of any disaster, information must reach the public in a timely manner, as this is one of the most important elements of civil protection

Rენatas Pozhela, director of the Fire and Rescue Department, for his part explained that currently, activating different warning tools requires separate actions. The new system will make it possible to control them through a single interface, which is particularly important when time is limited.

Particular attention during the project's implementation will be paid to cybersecurity and the platform's uninterrupted operation. The project will include mechanisms to protect against cyberattacks and unauthorized access, as well as systems for monitoring and tracking operators' actions.

The department noted that preparations for the modernization are already underway. In particular, technical and organizational measures have been carried out, and memorandums of cooperation have been signed with mobile network operators and the Lithuanian Radio and Television Centre. Applications to participate in the state tender will be accepted until December 3, 2026. The main work is planned to be completed and the system prepared for testing in the fourth quarter of 2027. The full launch of the new platform is scheduled for 2028.

Context

Lithuania is consistently strengthening its civil protection system against the backdrop of the changing security situation in the Baltic region. The country currently uses Cell Broadcast technology, which allows warnings to be sent to citizens' mobile phones in designated geographic areas.

In addition, in September 2026, Lithuania conducted a test of its public warning system involving sirens and mobile notifications.

Also in November, Lithuania and Latvia began joint exercises on the cross-border evacuation of civilians. During the exercises, they are practicing mechanisms for moving citizens, crossing the state border, and organizing the reception of evacuees in the event of security threats.

To remind you

Earlier, we reported that Germany was accelerating military preparations amid the threat of a possible russian attack on the Baltic states.