Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register BERLIN, April 9 (Reuters) – Germany has begun working to strengthen its underground shelters as well as build up crisis reserves in the event of war, the Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported on Saturday, citing the country’s interior minister. After decades of decay by the German armed forces, Russia’s war in Ukraine has led to a major policy change with German Chancellor Olaf Solz pledging to increase defense spending and contribute 100 billion euros ($ 109 billion) to the military. The government is also considering upgrading its public shelter systems and will increase spending on civil protection, Interior Minister Nancy Pfizer told the newspaper. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register “There are currently 599 public shelters in Germany. We will see if we can upgrade more of these systems. In any case, the demolition has stopped,” Faeser said. Germany is working on new ideas to boost underground car parks, metro stations and subways to become possible shelters, he said, adding that the government has given the federal states 88 million euros to install new sirens. “But in terms of national coverage, we are not even close,” Faeser added. The country will also create crisis stocks with supplies such as medical equipment, protective clothing, masks or medicines, he said. ($ 1 = 0.9211 euros) Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by Riham Alkousaa. Edited by Zuzanna Szymanska Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
