MILITARY SUPPORT TO CIVIL AUTHORITIES AND THE PUBLIC – WITH REGARD TO CIVIL PROTECTION

The armed forces are the largest and best organised fundamental part of the state organisationwhose high performance determines the stability and strength of the state, its sovereignty andthe provision of national and international security. Undoubtedly, the fundamental missionof the Polish Armed Forces is the ability to defend vital interests of the state, i.e. to ensure thesovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic. Nevertheless, the armed forcesare also a very important potential of the state in supporting civil authorities and society in crisissituations. In the past, the main task of the armed forces was primarily to ensure military securityin terms of defending the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state. However,nowadays, in national and international terms, their scope of tasks has definitely broadened tocomprise undertakings in support of public administration bodies and society in crisis situations.This is due to the fact that the armed forces are characterised by unique capabilities, unparalleledin other response forces, to take effective action in the event of diverse crisis situations. Thus, theyhave become an important reinforcement of the crisis management and civil protection system.Often, they can be the main element of support to public administration bodies (government andlocal government) in resolving the crisis situation that has arisen.