Germany to harden critical infrastructure as Russia fears spike

GERMANY plans to better protect its critical infrastructure with a new law yesterday as surging tensions with Russia stoke fears of sabotage attacks and other national security threats.

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THE co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Alice Weidel speaks as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz looks on at the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) yesterday in Berlin.

(T OBIAS SCHWARZ AFP)

Parliament will vote on legislation requiring power utilities, water companies and even some supermarket chains to reduce their vulnerability to terrorism, industrial accidents, natural disasters and public health emergencies.

The package, which aims to bring Germany in line with EU directives, would oblige some 1 700 essential services providers to step up physical security and alarm systems, carry out regular risk assessments and promptly report incidents.

The measures cover facilities that provide critical services to more than 500 000 people in sectors including energy, water, food, health, transport, IT, telecommunications, financial services and waste disposal.

A wake-up call came weeks ago in Berlin when a midwinter arson attack on a high-voltage power cable claimed by a far-left militant group plunged tens of thousands of households into icy darkness for nearly a week.

The attack, which sparked public fury amid a slow response, has led the government to offer a €1 million reward this week for tips leading to arrests of the culprits, who called themselves the “Vulkangruppe” (Vulcan Group).