War across the eastern border, the growing importance of critical infrastructure and hybrid threats have made the military security of local governments one of the important subjects of public debate. In its latest report, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego analysed how Polish municipalities, cities and counties are prepared for this type of crisis.

Bolesławiec County and the urban municipality of Bolesławiec were also among the units assessed.

Military threat: where does Bolesławiec County stand?

BGK data show that Bolesławiec County is not among the areas most exposed to military threats. Key factors that increase risk in other parts of the country—such as proximity to the eastern border or strategic military importance—are less significant in our region.

This does not, however, mean complete safety. BGK experts stress that military threats are not limited solely to armed action, but also include:

  • cyberattacks,
  • sabotage of critical infrastructure,
  • disinformation,
  • migratory pressure in crisis situations.

In these areas, the resilience of local government begins to be crucial.

Resilience: the region’s strengths

In terms of the ability to respond and cope in crisis situations, Bolesławiec County ranks around the national average. The highest assessments concern elements related to:

  • the functioning of basic infrastructure,
  • the availability of emergency services,
  • social and institutional resources.

BGK points out that in the case of military threats, the infrastructural and social dimensions play the greatest role—that is, whether the local government has efficient services, logistical resources and residents ready to cooperate in a crisis situation.

Bolesławiec: the city is better prepared than average

Compared with the county, the city of Bolesławiec performs somewhat better, particularly in terms of resilience. This results, among other things, from:

  • a greater concentration of infrastructure,
  • better access to healthcare,
  • greater activity by public institutions.

At the same time, the report shows that cities—including Bolesławiec—are more vulnerable to the effects of crises because they concentrate larger numbers of residents and key services. In the case of military threats, this means that efficient organisation and crisis management are particularly important here.

Not a ranking, but a warning signal

The report’s authors clearly stress that this is not a ranking of “safe and dangerous” local governments. The indices are intended to help answer the question:

whether, in the event of a crisis—including one of a military nature—a given local government will be able to respond efficiently and recover quickly.

For Bolesławiec County and the city of Bolesławiec, the conclusions are fairly reassuring, while also showing that resilience cannot be taken for granted. It requires continuous investment—not only in infrastructure, but also in people, information and cooperation between institutions.