The Prime Minister – at the request of the heads of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration and the Internal Security Agency – introduced the third CHARLIE alert level from midnight. The order will remain in force until 28 February 2026 on selected railway lines managed by PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe and PKP Linia Hutnicza Szerokotorowa. Introducing the third alert level will increase the services’ readiness to respond to terrorist threats.

What does this mean for citizens?

For Poles, this does not involve any restrictions in everyday life or limiting civil liberties. Introducing the third alert level is a signal to citizens that they should remain vigilant, listen to announcements and, when necessary, strictly follow the instructions of the services.

The Prime Minister’s decision to raise the terrorist threat level is the government’s response to two acts of sabotage against railway infrastructure between Warsaw and Lublin. The aim is to increase Poles’ safety and strengthen protection of the Polish railway, which constitutes critical infrastructure.

The alert levels are four levels of terrorist threat in Poland, designed to increase the readiness of services and the administration to respond to possible threats and to inform citizens of the need to remain especially vigilant. CHARLIE is the third terrorist threat level.

What is to be done?

In accordance with the Prime Minister’s decision, the services and administration should introduce round-the-clock duty shifts for personnel authorized to make decisions on security matters and tighten controls on selected railway sections. Surveillance of facilities and vehicles will be increased, and the services will pay particular attention to abandoned objects and unusual behavior, especially near critical infrastructure.

What should you look out for?

While the alert level is in force, particular attention should be paid to all unusual situations and potential threats – people behaving unusually, unattended parcels, bags or backpacks, and cars, especially transport vehicles, parked near places potentially vulnerable to acts of sabotage. In situations involving a threat, notify the services by calling 112.

Second BRAVO level in the rest of the country

It is worth remembering that the second BRAVO alert level, as well as BRAVO CRP in the context of cyberthreats, remains in force in the rest of the country. This also entails increased readiness on the part of the services.

The alert levels are a system that helps the state protect citizens and critical infrastructure, and every signal of citizens’ vigilance is extremely important here.

The CHARLIE alert level means that public administration and the services should perform the tasks specified for the first and second alert levels – ALFA and BRAVO. In addition, the administration and services should, among other things:

  • at the instruction of the Minister of the Interior and Administration, introduce round-the-clock duty shifts in designated offices and public administration bodies;
  • introduce duty shifts for people responsible for implementing procedures to be followed in the event of terrorist incidents;
  • check the availability of facilities designated as temporary alternative accommodation in the event of a population evacuation;
  • issue weapons and ammunition, as well as personal protective equipment, to authorized persons designated to perform protective duties;
  • introduce additional round-the-clock surveillance of places that require it and have not previously been monitored.