After attacks on power grid, Reul calls for debate on protecting critical infrastructure

After attacks on electricity infrastructure in North Rhine-Westphalia and southern Brandenburg, Interior Minister Herbert Reul wants Germany to reconsider what private operators may do to protect critical facilities.

Reul said society must decide whether operators should be allowed to run video surveillance systems or maintain their own drone defenses. He said the debate would also have to address data protection, civil rights and possible interference with individual rights.

“

What are they allowed to do? Are they allowed to operate video systems? Are they allowed to have their own drone defenses in the future, for example?

Critical infrastructure includes sectors whose disruption could cause supply shortages, public-security problems and other serious consequences. The category covers energy, information technology, transport, health, water, food, finance and insurance, government administration and media.

“

We will have to reopen the debate about data protection, civil rights and interference with rights.

“Not every substation can be guarded by police officers,” Reul said. Instead, facility operators should receive the tools and authority to protect their own installations more effectively. He said such changes could be arranged relatively quickly and argued that Germany could not remain unable to respond while attacks continued.

Authorities reported an attack on the Turnow-Preilack substation in southern Brandenburg and a disruption at a substation in Bergheim near Cologne within a short period this week. Investigators found launch devices and pyrotechnics near both locations, which may have been installed earlier. They believe both incidents resulted from sabotage by forces hostile to the constitutional order.

“

We cannot be checkmated while the others continue to amuse themselves at our expense.