Saxony Has a New Security Committee

About a month after the sabotage attacks on the German power grid, Saxony has established a new security committee to protect critical infrastructure. “I expect this committee to provide clear direction,” said Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) in Dresden.

In light of the new hybrid threat landscape, the goal is also to conduct a comprehensive survey of all critical infrastructure in Saxony. This would then allow for the development of a security strategy that the cabinet could implement. Schuster emphasized that the focus is not only on protection against military attacks, but also on scenarios such as widespread power outages, pandemics, or natural disasters.

Between the Security Cabinet and the Crisis Management Team

Saxony already has a Security Cabinet, which includes the relevant ministers and the Minister-President, as well as an administrative team for acute crises. The new “Coordinating Committee for Security and KRITIS Protection” is intended to act as a bridge between the two levels and address strategic security issues.

Schuster cited the drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport as an example. “A lot happened over a 14-day period, but it wasn’t enough to fully engage the ministerial level,” Schuster explained. “However, it wasn’t yet a situation that warranted a state of alert.” The new committee is intended to fill this gap.

Critical Infrastructure Operators Part of the Committee

It is housed within the Ministry of the Interior, and the head of the State Chancellery will serve as its chair. Permanent members include the state secretaries and department heads. In addition to the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy and the Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture are also involved.

Regular guests include, among others, the Police Headquarters, the President of the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, and the Attorney General. Schuster sees the operators of critical infrastructure—who are brought in as external guests—as playing a key role. The committee has no additional staff or even its own office.

Schuster had announced the establishment of a new committee together with his cabinet colleague Dirk Panter (SPD) about a month ago, following the alleged sabotage attacks by a 48-year-old man on the power grid in several federal states, including Saxony.