Levica proposes new state service: soldiers over 45 to guard critical infrastructure

The left-wing party Levica proposes the formation of a special state service within the Ministry of Defence, which would deal with guarding civilian critical infrastructure. Professional soldiers who, after turning 45, can no longer continue as professional soldiers in the Army could also be engaged in it, as Fokus reports.

The draft law on critical infrastructure was argued at the session of the Legislative-Legal Committee by Levica MP and deputy chairman Rexhep Ismail. According to him, the proposed solution would address two problems at the same time: the physical protection of critical facilities and the further use of the Army’s trained personnel.

“We have insufficient physical protection of civilian critical infrastructure, or it has been entrusted to a commercial relationship, that is, to private security. Personally, as the proposer, I think this is not good, because responsibility for these critical facilities should be public, that is, with state bodies,” Ismail said.

The service, under the proposal, would function within the Ministry of Defence, but would not be part of the Army. Its task would be the physical protection of civilian critical infrastructure according to priorities, plans and available personnel defined in advance. As examples of infrastructure of direct importance for citizens’ everyday functioning, water supply and communication systems are mentioned, alongside other facilities of critical importance. The functioning of the system provides for coordination between the Ministry of Defence, the Government and the Crisis Management Centre.

Ismail pointed out that the second problem Levica seeks to solve is the status of professional soldiers after the age of 45. “The other problem is the unresolved status of soldiers who, after turning 45, no longer have the right to be part of the Army as professional soldiers. Practically, the solution we offer is linking these two problems by offering a solution through a service within the Ministry of Defence, but not as part of the Army,” he said. The idea is for their military experience, training and knowledge to continue to be used through engagement in the new service, instead of leaving the guarding of part of the critical facilities to private companies.

According to Ismail, the proposal would initially require additional funds from the state budget, but the proposers expect the state to save funds in the long term. “In the short term it will cause some larger financial outflows from the budget, but in the long term it is expected to save financial outflows, because in general it will take over a part of the market where private security currently operates,” he said, adding that in the future the competences of this public service could also be expanded towards guarding other public facilities, including schools, even though they do not belong to the critical infrastructure category. As Fokus writes, the draft law did not receive support from the Legislative-Legal Committee, while the Assembly must give its view in a plenary session for its further processing.