In the programme, we reiterated that the Estonian state’s defence consists of two components: civil defence and military defence. The first part has received almost no attention, which is why there is no system and no possibility of creating one due to a lack of long-term funding.

At the same time, there is still no political consensus in the country that the protection of Estonian citizens, or the reservoir from which the Estonian Defence Force draws reserves and resources to defend the republic, is a priority. Ukraine’s experience in the defence war against Russia demonstrates the critical importance of protecting the rear.

To make things clearer, we used simple examples, such as how a bomb shelter and a public hiding place are not the same thing, and why reaching an agreement on permanent financing is critical:

• public hiding places are areas in public spaces where people can seek temporary shelter;
• Bomb shelters are underground structures with unique engineering requirements, making them unsuitable for extended stays; 
• without permanent funding, it is impossible to establish a real and functional civil defence system in Estonia.

We reiterate our call to Estonian political parties: there is an urgent need to agree on the development of civil defence and its permanent funding. You can watch the news episode (interview starts at 00:09:08 and ends 00:14:14) here!