This was reported to Reuters by Louis-Henri Delarageaz, the head of civil defense for the Swiss canton of Vaud.
As the agency noted, thanks to a law from 1963, Switzerland can guarantee a place in a bomb and radiation-proof bunker for each of its 9 million residents, including foreigners and refugees.
“In the coming years, the Swiss Confederation aims to remove certain exceptions to existing rules and update some old shelters,” Delarageaz explained. In October, the government began consultations to ensure “Switzerland’s resilience in the event of armed conflict” and plans to modernize old facilities with an investment of 220 million Swiss francs ($250 million).
“This does not mean we are preparing for conflict – that is not the message – but we have a network of shelters, and we must maintain them in proper condition and ensure their functionality,” he said. He also added that the Swiss are prudent and recalled the Latin proverb, “If you want peace, prepare for war.”
