Lithuania’s Social Democrats highlight gaps in air threat response system

Lithuania’s opposition Social Democratic Party (LSDP) has called for urgent fixes to the country’s emergency alert system after a second consecutive day of declared air threats exposed critical shortcomings, LRT reports.

On Thursday, LSDP leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius said authorities must address failures in public warnings, shelter accessibility, and coordination after an unidentified drone triggered an air threat alert in Utena district. While acknowledging the military’s preparedness, he stressed that systemic gaps—revealed during Wednesday’s initial alert—demand immediate correction.

“People in an extreme situation should not have to wonder who to call, which buttons to press, where to run, or whether shelter doors will even be unlocked,” Sinkevičius wrote on Facebook. He thanked institutions and citizens for their responsible response but insisted the identified flaws “cannot be dismissed as minor technical glitches.”

Key problems include the non-use of air-raid sirens during Wednesday’s alert—a decision made by the Air Force—and delays in notifications. Sinkevičius confirmed that legal amendments, currently under parliamentary review, would empower the military to activate alerts directly, shortening response times.

Other critical issues involve shelter accessibility, with reports of locked facilities or overcrowded spaces in schools and kindergartens unable to accommodate outsiders. The LSDP proposes mandatory designated personnel to ensure shelters are unlocked and ready, with municipalities overseeing activation and the Fire and Rescue Department coordinating the process.

Sinkevičius also flagged technical failures in the LT72 alert app, which crashed under heavy user traffic, and urged municipalities to update emergency plans, verify shelter lists, and clarify roles during crises. “We’re working intensively on this in Jonava as well,” he noted.

The alerts follow two days of drone sightings in Lithuanian airspace, prompting search operations with helicopters in Utena district. Authorities have not disclosed the object’s origin or intent.