The purpose of the paper is to properly define the economic sectors of strategic importance to the national security and to evaluate the state’s tools which protect this security. The paper’s methodology is based on two analyses; the former focusing on instruments which are applied by the state in order to control certain fields of the economy, and the latter investigating economic sectors in terms of concentration, impact on the state security and integration with other sectors. The paper also defines the criteria which helped to identify sectors which have strategic importance to the national security, i.e. production and supply of electric energy; extraction and supply of natural gas; extraction, distribution and storage of liquid propellants, telecommunications, banking industry; banknotes and documents’ production (together with related IT solutions) and military industry. The article leads to the conclusion that these sectors are strategically important to the national security. However, there is still a lack of coherent and complete legal regulations that would protect the national security interest related to the part of the economy represented by the analyzed sectors and companies.
The article presents the diversity of national security conditions and demonstrates the need for the study of its logistical aspects. There are presented American views on the role of logistics in ensuring national security. The paper presents and assesses the basic content of the documents relating to the national security of the Republic of Poland for content logistics issues. The end of the article contains conclusions and postulates.
PL
W artykule przedstawiono różnorodność uwarunkowań bezpieczeństwa narodowego i wykazano potrzebę badania jego aspektów logistycznych. Zaprezentowano poglądy amerykańskie na rolę logistyki w zapewnieniu bezpieczeństwa narodowego. Przedstawiono i dokonano oceny treści podstawowych dokumentów dotyczących bezpieczeństwa narodowego Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej pod względem zawartości problematyki logistyki. Na końcu artykułu zawarto wnioski i postulaty.
This article is divided into three parts, in the first part it is explained what social capital is, and its role in national security is depicted. In the second part, the problem of the importance of social rules in the construction of social capital is discussed. The third part of the article is the culmination of the analysis and shows the role of soft factors in the process of building national security. The quality of social capital depends on how the society works. It is strongly related to other pillars of state security, including the armed forces. The most important message from the content of this article is the statement: a strong society means a safe state.
The article examines the tasks of the State Fire Service in the face of terrorist threats in Poland. The State Fire Service is an important component of the national security system. As a well-trained and well-equipped country-wide agency with a well-developed organisational structure on the three administrative levels — subregional, regional and national — it can carry out tasks in an emergency, all-day, all-year-round mode within the territory of Poland, tasks relating to broadly defi ned rescue operations, including recognition of threats and rescue operations necessitated by acts of terrorism, despite the fact that in this case it is only an auxiliary service helping the agencies designated by law to combat such threats. The need for rescue services, security services and investigation services to collaborate in the case of a terrorist threat or suspicion of a terrorist threat has greatly expanded the operational possibilities of the State Fire Service, especially with regard to specialist rescue operations.
Literature reports that the national security state is less and less influenced by purely military factors. This increases the role of economic factors, such as the state of the national economy, the quality of international alliances and broadly understood infrastructure level, operations of a number government administration bodies, local authorities, social organizations, as well as individual citizens. The purpose of this article is to introduce the national security issues in terms of the hard and soft its elements. The article consists of three parts. The first section explains the essence of national security in terms of the distribution of the hard and soft elements. The second part presents its own security model based on the eight elements (8-E). The third part describes the organizational changes, which may include hard and soft elements of BN. According to the assumptions of the model for the effectiveness of the changes it is necessary to adapt each of the system components. The method adopted is to analyze the research literature and its own national security organizational model.
Each state has created own way of managing crisis situations. The measure of effectiveness of the system is tools and principles according to specfi c decisions should be made. Effective crisis management is demonstrated by preparing (in a well-thought-out and organized manner) the forces and means to effectively counteract potential threats. This aim can be achieved by having sufficient knowledge about potential threats, forces and resources, trained specialist, excellent technical condition of the equipment and knowledge about the possibilities of use. The aim of the article is to show and emphasize the essence and significance of the cooperation of separate specialists in uniformed and state institutions, implementing their tasks for security in the cross-border system. It became very important subject in the vision of the idea of illegal migration in recent years in Europe
The article analyses the role of special forces in a democratic state. The author puts a special emphasis on the conditions that shape the new Polish democracy and aspects of ensuring national and international security within. Special forces in a democratic state are a tool in a state’s policies. Their operations are crucial not only as an institution meant to ensure national social and political order but also to counteract all interference of criminal groups in centres of political power on a local scale.
The terrorist attacks carried out on 11 September 2001 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon led to the reevaluationof priorities in US security policy. The boundary between freedom and security became more malleable. US intelligenceservices, responsible for security, were set to a state of high alert. To help them in counter-terrorism missions, numerous changesin legislation have been introduced to equip government agencies with additional tools and simplified procedures. The aimof this article is to present the roots, the scope of activities and the scale of exploitation of orders for disclosure of information(the national security letters — NSL) by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). These orders have caused great controversyon account of the possibility to obtain access to the private data of citizens, while maintaining total secrecy. The radical increasein the number of NSLs issued after 2001 gave rise to many questions, such as: Have national security letters been used for theirintended purpose? Should a total secrecy clause be applied to all NSLs? Have orders of disclosure of information been issuedon the basis of concrete evidence? Has the FBI abused the power given to them? Are NSLs an effective tool in the fight againstterrorism? Why, despite allegations of the violation of human rights and civil liberties, are NSLs still considered a legitimate toolfor the surveillance of society?
The article presents the institutional development of the system for the protection of national security in the Republic of Lithuania. The publication reveals the prevailing concepts of national security and describes the notions of national security established in Lithuanian legal regulation. The first view of security is that a traditional policy of security is based on the idea that all the members of society or individual interests are subordinate to the interest of the state. On the other hand, the theory of human security can be defined as giving priority to the security of the individual, and it states that human security is achieved only when basic material needs are met and meaningful participation in the life of the community and human dignity are realised. Further, the development of the institutions securing the national security of Lithuania are described from the period from 1990 when the Republic of Lithuania restored independence until the present time. Additionally, it reveals the existing concept of national security in the Lithuanian Republic, and describes the main threats to Lithuanian national security, dividing these into military, political and socio-economic sectors, and indicates measures taken to combat them. After carrying out an analysis of the Acts forming the national security policy in Lithuania and other related legal Acts it can be concluded that the dominant perception of Lithuanian national security is a broad concept of national security with strong emphasis on human security issues.
The purpose of this article is to indicate changes in the perception of terrorist threats and the approach to them on the basis of normative documents defining strategic objectives in the area of security. The focus is on strategic papers in the field of security from 2000 to 2014, on the one hand, and on the other, on the law of 10 June 2016 about anti-terrorist activities. The content of the following normative documents has been analysed with regard to the recognition, combating, and prevention of terrorist threats. The authors focus their attention on: the Security Strategy of the Republic of Poland from 2000, the National Security Strategy of the Republic of Poland from 2003, the National Security Strategy of National Security Bureau, from 2007, and the National Security Strategy of the National Security Bureau from 2014. The implementation of the Polish security policy strategy is contained in four types of activity, i.e. national activities, integration with Western security structures, involvement in international actions to resolve hazardous situations, and cooperation with other international actors in strengthening international stability and security. The discussed strategies were created on the basis of the provisions of the amended Act on the universal obligation to defend the Republic of Poland.
Nowadays, the vast majority of the threats to our security is related to information security, resulting in a significant transformation of national security systems. One such threat is disinformation, which is increasingly being used intentionally. The study examines certain impacts of disinformation on national security as a system, on the example of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the study explores some processes visible at the international level and reviews some external problems in connection with national security. Research methods and techniques implemented in the research process itself are primarily based on a critical analysis of the literature and the analysis and synthesis of published research results. The main findings show that the phenomenon of disinformation, which intensifies in crisis situations (e.g. related to the outbreak of a pandemic) contributes to the destabilization of public mood, hinders the functioning of the basic organs of the state and, consequently, increases the negative effects of crisis events. Secondly, the disinformation used during the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated its effects, causing damage on an unprecedented scale. The analyses show that the fight against disinformation must be based on the assumption that the security of the state depends primarily on the information awareness of each citizen. Social awareness is built through effective education aimed at raising basic medical knowledge. Disinformation has serious consequences for modern countries as it creates a new threat to their national security in peacetime.
Social security and social entrepreneurship are subject to special attention from the European Commission (EC), particularly in recent years. This is due to their potential to find solutions to society’s problems related to the creation of sustainable jobs, facilitating social and occupational integration, provision of social services and improving the quality of life, including the fight against poverty and social exclusion. The current paper analyses the main strategic and policy documents supporting social security and social entrepreneurship development in Bulgaria.
Since the end of World War I, the struggle with Kurdish separatism was a common problem for Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. Due to the constant struggle and a series of favourable events, currently the most independent of the Kurdish regions is the Region of Kurdistan in Iraq. The countries in the region perceive Kurdish independence, and any questioning of the Sykes-Picot agreement, as a mortal threat to the integrity of their territories. The following article describes and highlights selected security threats in the nascent Kurdish Region in Iraq. These are very complex and have different sources. The work starts with the characterisation of the geographic region of Kurdistan and the region of Kurdistan in Iraq. The next part describes the threat from the PKK, radical Islam and terrorism. An important aspect that generates threats for the Kurdistan Region in Iraq is the relationship with the Central Government in Baghdad. These relations have a negative impact on the economic and social situation in the Kurdistan Region.
Nowadays, the vast majority of the threats to our security come from cyberspace, resulting in a significant transformation of national security systems. Behind these changes, we can find some organisational and capability responses to technological developments, seeing that the function of national security is inseparable from the social environment and its processes. The study examines certain impacts of cyberspace on national security as a system, addressing some features of the changing external environment. The topic is related to the research on the relationship between the information society and security in the 21st century. Therefore, the study explores some processes visible at the international level and reviews some external environment trends in connection with national security. The changes affect the future of national security thinking and the development of principles and methods. It is the task of national security services operating under strict legislation to respond effectively to various threats in a changing environment. All this is only possible through the continuous monitoring of changes in the environment and long-term strategic thinking.
Critical infrastructure plays a key role in ensuring the national security of a state, due to important functions thereof in military, economic, and public administration sectors. The destruction, damage, failure or other deprivation of critical infrastructure of its operational capabilities constitutes a direct threat to the structural and personal security of the state. The research methods and techniques implemented in the research process itself primarily hinge on critical analysis of acts of law and organisational and competence-related documents, subject-matter literature, synthesis and inference in order to reach the formulated objectives based on efficiency criteria. The main findings indicate that critical infrastructure is perceived as a set of systems which exerts a substantial impact on the security of the state and, obviously, its inhabitants. The results advocate for a reflection that critical infrastructure embraces a number of facilities which appear to be remarkably diverse. They are buildings, structures, installations, equipment and services which, integrally, form cohesive systems which allow the proper functioning of a given state. It is the state whose role is just to supervise and coordinate, whereas the operators of critical infrastructure are the ones who are to protect it. The overall findings of this paper present the notion that safeguarding critical infrastructure is a task of crucial importance to the national security of a state and, therefore, it would be worth reconsidering the intensification of rules which apply to the infrastructure of national security and its efficient functioning.
In the era of cyber threats and incidents related to the issue, secure communication for applications in critical circumstances responds to the growing need in Europe, where the use of commercial services is becoming insufficient. One solution that fulfils security needs is to provide accessible and reliable services based on space segment resources that are government controlled. The aim of the paper is to investigate Governmental Satellite Communication (Govsatcom), which is the first such large initiative to strengthen and increase the security and defence of the community of European countries. Furthermore, the paper discusses some implications related to the demand for this type of satellite communication and describes the engagement of the main involved institutions i.e. the European Space Agency, European Defence Agency, and European Commission, especially elaborating the PACIS projects running under ESA umbrella, which are one of the main preparatory actions for the IV EU Space Programme. Considerations about future relations between related parties and Poland’s possible engagement and the kind of benefits it would deliver are also considered. The paper leads to a conclusion that the future EU space programme creates a proper environment for cooperation between community members and delivers an opportunity to use safe and secure satellite communication for members who cannot afford to have their own capabilities.
Dynamic changes in the security environment are forcing us to reflect on the shape of the international order at the end of the second decade of the 21st century. The aggressive policy of the Russian Federation, which is confirmed by the conflict with Georgia in 2008 and the current situation in Ukraine, indicates that the use of military violence in the resolution of international disputes is not a historical category at all. This is of particular importance to the geopolitical location of the Republic of Poland. The length of our land border with the Russian Federation is 210 km, while with Belarus it is 418 km. The above fact has a fundamental impact not only on the public debate on the security of our country and the region, but also, and perhaps most importantly, on the shape of defence policy and the content of planning possible measures to prevent and counteract the escalation of prospective tensions in NATO-Russia relations. Both Russian military doctrine and the opinions expressed by politicians and specialists dealing with military issues and political and military experts indicate that, from the Russian perspective, the Baltic States’ membership of the North Atlantic Alliance and the presence of NATO troops on the territory of these countries, is highly unfavourable. Therefore, there are grounds to believe that countries such as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, are treated by Russia as natural bridgeheads, convenient for bringing possible strikes against Russia. Therefore, it is possible that blocking communication routes leading to these countries, while cutting them off from the support of allied land forces, may prove to be a key success factor in the situation of a hypothetical armed conflict, aimed not only at depriving these countries of their sovereignty, but also aimed at discrediting the power of the Alliance.
The author is of the opinion that the commonly accepted view about the identity, the concept, and the content of state security and national security in Poland is burdened with numerous flaws, which is confirmed by the legislative practice, planning, and the organizational activity of the state. The author poses a question whether mutual relationships between the concepts of state security and national security exist in the views of Polish theorists and in Polish legislation and, if they do, what they are. Of the methods of establishing the identity of state and national security and the mutual relationship between these terms, one of the ways to see the complexity of the issue is to refer to legislation. The author puts forward a hypothesis that both Polish law and the practical planning and organizational activities of public administration and other entities provide many arguments that these concepts are not identical, but there are strong axiological, epistemological, and ontological links between them. The author is convinced that determination of the domain of the concepts in question and the relationships between them will make it easier for public administration bodies to plan, organize, and carry out specific tasks in the field of security.
Background: Ensuring national security is one of the priority tasks of state authorities. At the poviat level, Poviat Crisis Management Centers occupy a special place in the implementation of this task. Objectives: The purpose of the article is to show the importance of the Poviat Crisis Management Center in the national security system. Methods: The place of the Poviat Crisis Management Center in the national security protection system was determined on the basis of an analysis of the literature on the subject. Conclusions: The Poviat Crisis Management Center plays a key role in anti-crisis activities at the poviat level.
Security is one of the most appreciated values in the social and individual dimension. Ensuring public security of a given society is an essential condition for the development of both individuals and the state understood as an organized group of individuals. Every citizen has a constitutionally guaranteed right to their behavior. The Constitution also recognized the independence, the territorial integrity of the state and the inviolability of borders as the supreme value. Poland as a sovereign and democratic Member State of the UN, OSCE, NATO and the EU adopted the stable and continuous national security as a priority objective.
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