<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>27</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Georgi Tzvetkov</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Philip Spassov</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vesselin Petkov</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Todor Tagarev</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Albania: Capabilities, Organisations, Policies, and Legislation in crisis management and disaster response</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">IT4Sec Reports</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Albania</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Civil Security</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">disaster preparedness</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">disaster response</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">National Civil Emergency Plan</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">SEEDRMAP</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">June 2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><number><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">120</style></number><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Institute of Information and Communication Technologies</style></publisher><pub-location><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sofia</style></pub-location><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Albania has a total area of 28,748 km2. It shares a border with Montenegro to the northwest, with Kosovo to the northeast, with Macedonia to the north and east, and with Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coastline around 476 km long. Albania is divided into 12 regions (qarks), 36 districts, 375 municipalities and communes, which are the basic units of local self-government.

The four main hazards affecting Albania are forest fires, floods, earthquakes and snowstorms. Among other hazards available assessments make reference to landslides, drought, epidemics, avalanches, tsunami, technological hazards, dam burst and storms.

The national crisis management framework consists of three levels – national, regional and local. At national level, the Council of Ministers leads and governs the national system of civil emergency management in Albania, with the main role played by the General Directorate of Civil Emergencies in the Ministry of Interior.

Prefects in the qarks (regions) are responsible for planning and coping with civil emergencies at qark (regional) level. A Commission of Planning and Responding to Civil Emergencies is established in each qark with the task to coordinate activities of the qark authorities and volunteer organisations for planning and coping with emergency. Accordingly, the mayor or the head of commune is responsible for planning and responding to civil emergencies in the respective municipality or commune (local) level. Under the chairmanship of the mayor or the head of commune, a Commission of Planning and Responding with Civil Emergencies is established, and its main task is to coordinate all activities of the local government unit and volunteer organisations, responsible for planning and responding to emergencies.

The principal operational forces or active structures in Albania are comprised of the Armed Forces; Directorate of Fire Protection and Rescue (PMNZZH); the Ambulance Service; the State Police and other Police units; Directorate of State Reserves; Units specialised in mines and technical response; Monitoring and operational supportive structures.

Earlier data show that in normal times the human resources dedicated to crisis management include the following: app. 450 personnel, including the employed in civil protection at qark level (app. 50) and personnel employed in civil protection at commune or district level. Involvement of private companies and volunteers is limited to app. 500 of active personnel.
</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>27</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Philip Spassov</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Estonia: Capabilities, Organisations, Policies, and Legislation in crisis management and disaster response</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">IT4Sec Reports</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">centralisation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Civil Security</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">disaster preparedness</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">disaster response</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Estonia</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ministry of Interior</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">niche capabilities</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">June 2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><number><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">124</style></number><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Institute of Information and Communication Technologies</style></publisher><pub-location><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sofia</style></pub-location><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">The Estonian crisis management system is based on measures that can be taken in order to protect human life, property and the environment during civil emergencies. In Estonia the highest authority responsible for emergency and disaster management is the Ministry of Interior. It is responsible for policy formulation and its execution in the area of civil security. At regional level county governors are directly responsible to the Minister of the Interior for crisis management matters. The county governor is the highest crisis management authority at regional level. At local level the main body responsible for civil protection is the local government council which has established the local crisis management committee chaired by the mayor.

The Estonian Rescue Board is directly subordinate to the Ministry of Interior and has a key role in representing Estonia in various international forums such as the UN, EU and NATO and other relevant civil security organisations. Another national government institution under the authority of the Ministry of Interior is the Emergency Response Centre responsible for processing emergency calls to the emergency 112 number and sending out rescue teams to the place of the emergency.

As in the other Baltic Region States the organisational structure is centralised, i.e. coordinated and mostly organised by the central national civil protection authority, as is the case with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Additionally, the use of private rescue services is low in the Baltic Countries. 

The Defence Forces could be deployed in response of crisis or disaster, but in cases where all the other crisis management capabilities of the state have been exhausted or where the required resources or capabilities are only available to the Defence Forces. 

The civil protection expenditures are approximately 0.6% of GDP of Estonia.

The most important non-profit and volunteer organisations in Estonia are regarded the Red Cross, the Estonian Volunteer Fire-Fighters Union, the Estonian Association of Fire and Rescue Chiefs, and the Estonian Life Saving Association and Defence League, who have also been given the task of assisting in rescue work.

The main regulative framework for civil protection and emergencies is defined by the Emergency Act and the Rescue Act of Estonia. 

The National Security Concept of the Republic of Estonia is a key document that establishes the objectives, principles and directions of security policy. The National Security Concept highlights crisis management as one of the essentially important tasks. Another important conceptual document is the Strategy of the Estonian Rescue Board 2015-2025 which plans the Board’s activities in a ten year timeframe. 

The systems for training in the field of civil protection are quite different in the Baltic region, however they share some basic features. Education in civil protection and rescue has a legal foundation in all of the Baltic Region countries. Basic and advanced education at the national level is standardised through the use of certificates, as well as the development of educational and training curricula. All of the Baltic region states have specialised schools and colleges which carry out education in civil protection and rescue area. 

Estonia has signed regional and multilateral provisions of the Council of Europe, the EU, the NATO and the OSCE for assistance in crisis situations. Estonia is also an active initiator in the field of maritime cooperation and of strategic and operational dialogue among the Baltic Sea countries. 

Potential niche capability in which Estonia could realistically contribute to the European crisis management community is the development of software solutions in the cyber defence and the programming of autonomous platforms and systems field of expertise. Estonia could provide software solutions and expertise from which EU member states could benefit and establish new ways for cooperation in the cyber security field.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>27</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Philip Spassov</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vesselin Petkov</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Latvia: Capabilities, Organisations, Policies, and Legislation in crisis management and disaster response</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">IT4Sec Reports</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">centralisation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Civil protection</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">disaster preparedness</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">disaster response</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Latvia</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ministry of Interior</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">State Fire and Rescue Service</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">June 2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><number><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">125</style></number><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Institute of Information and Communication Technologies</style></publisher><pub-location><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sofia</style></pub-location><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Latvia is a Parliamentary republic where the President is the Head of State. The President is elected by the Parliament (Saeima). The Government, or the Cabinet of Ministers, is appointed by the President, approved by the Parliament and led by the Prime Minister. There is no regional government level as territorially Latvia is divided into 109 rural municipalities and 9 cities under state jurisdiction. These two main types of municipalities are led by municipal council.

The National Security Concept is a strategic document based on analysis of national threat stating principles for prevention of threats, priorities and measures, which must be taken into account when executing new political planning documents, legislative enactments and action plans in the area of national security. The priorities determined in the Concept provide the basis for the development of the National Security Plan by the Cabinet of Ministers.

As in the other Baltic Region States the organisational structure is centralised, i.e. coordinated and mostly organised by the central national civil protection authority, as is the case with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Additionally, the use of private rescue services is low in the Baltic Countries. 

The Prime Minister has the responsibility for the continuous function of the operation of the crisis management system and for the implementation of the related tasks and obligations. The State Fire and Rescue Service, an organisation directly subordinated to the Ministry of Interior, plans, coordinates, leads and controls the civil protection operations. The State Fire and Rescue Service has significant responsibility for crisis management at national level.

At local level the municipal authorities are responsible for establishing and managing the Civil Protection Commission of the municipalities and cities. The Commission coordinates civil protection measures in crisis situations in their respective administrative territories.

The civil protection framework of Latvia foresees the involvement of military forces in support of civil authorities during peacetime emergencies. Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for the cooperation with the European Union as it implements and coordinates the state external security policy. Cross-border and international collaboration is also organised through the Monitoring and Information Centre operated by the European Commission.

The systems for training in the field of civil protection are quite different in the Baltic region; however they share some basic features. Education in civil protection and rescue has a legal foundation in all of the Baltic Region countries. Basic and advanced education at the national level is standardised through the use of certificates, as well as the development of educational and training curricula. All of the Baltic region states have specialised schools and colleges which carry out education in civil protection and rescue area. 

Potential niche capability that could be filled by Latvia and represent interest to EU crisis management structures is the development of single crisis information systems. The Latvian civil security institutions are looking to improve cooperation in the field of crisis management as they are exploiting new ways for cooperation for the creation of a unified national information system.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>27</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Philip Spassov</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Todor Tagarev</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Lithuania: Capabilities, Organisations, Policies, and Legislation in crisis management and disaster response</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">IT4Sec Reports</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">centralised organisation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Civil protection</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">crisis management structures</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">disaster preparedness</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">disaster response</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Lithuania</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">June 2015</style></date></pub-dates></dates><number><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">126</style></number><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Institute of Information and Communication Technologies</style></publisher><pub-location><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sofia</style></pub-location><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">As in the other Baltic Region States the organisational structure is centralised, i.e. coordinated and mostly organised by the central national civil protection authority, as is the case with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Additionally, the use of private rescue services is low in the Baltic Countries. 
 
The National Security Strategy establishes the basic goals and means of the national security policy. The aim of the Lithuanian National Security Strategy is to provide a vision of the state’s development, its national interests and the necessary actions for their implementation. 

The civil security system and the civil protection system of Lithuania is comprised by the Government, the state and municipal institutions, economic entities, public organisations, civil protection forces such as fire and rescue, police, state border guard, medical services, public security service, state food and agriculture service, other emergency services, forces of economic entities, volunteers, the emergency commissions and emergency operation centres. 

The management of civil protection in Lithuania is organised in three levels - national, regional (county) and local (municipal). At national level, the Government, the Government Emergency Commission, the Emergency Management Centre, the Ministry of National Defence, the Civil Protection Department, the State Fire Prevention and Rescue Service, Ministries, and other public authorities are the main stakeholders entitled to make strategic decisions on the implementation of civil protection measures.

At county level, administrations of county governors, county civil protection departments, and county emergency management centres are responsible for organising and ensuring preparedness for emergencies as well as for assisting when necessary in their relief. 

At municipal level, mayors of municipalities, civil protection departments, civil protection personnel, municipal emergency management centres, fire protection, search and rescue services, warning and information, evacuation, civil protection services and economic entities are responsible for organising preparedness for emergency situations and when required mitigate their effect.

International cooperation in Lithuania in the field of crisis management is coordinated by the Fire and Rescue Department, which is subordinated to the Ministry of Interior. Individual ministries and other state civil security institutions also participate in international civil protection activities.

Crisis management institutions part of the civil protection and rescue system, Training Centre, other educational institutions of civil protection as well as the forces of the civil protection and rescue system are financed by the state budget, while the economic entities are financed from their own resources. 

The systems for training in the field of civil protection are quite different in the Baltic region, however they share some basic features. Education in civil protection and rescue has a legal foundation in all of the Baltic Region countries. Basic and advanced education at the national level is standardised through the use of certificates, as well as the development of educational and training curricula. All of the Baltic region states have specialised schools and colleges which carry out education in civil protection and rescue area.  
</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Philip Spassov</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">NATO, Russia and European Security: Lessons Learned from Conflicts  in Kosovo and Libya</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Connections: The Quarterly Journal</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Summer 2014</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">13</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">21-40</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">3</style></issue><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">21</style></section></record></records></xml>