Prime Minister Luc Frieden assured the public on Thursday morning that there was no direct threat to the population following a series of recent incidents involving unidentified drones. Speaking at a press conference, Frieden emphasised that current information indicates no immediate danger to residents.
The national drone action plan has already been adopted by the government and is now being implemented. Luxembourg has also been in contact with neighbouring countries, requesting assistance in managing the situation. Prime Minister Frieden expressed gratitude to Belgium and France for their support.
While Luxembourg already possesses detection equipment to identify potential drone threats, the government plans to accelerate its procurement of additional technology. Equipment originally scheduled for purchase next year will now be acquired immediately, following an order placed by the Haut-Commissariat à la protection nationale. The exact budget for these measures has not been disclosed, with the government stating that providing too many details could aid those with malicious intent.
Andrea Drescher, Director of the Luxembourg Air Navigation Administration (ANA), confirmed that the drones spotted over Findel were indeed observed visually. However, the specific types of drones involved remain unknown.
Investigations into the origin of the drones are ongoing. Prime Minister Frieden stressed that it would be irresponsible to speculate at this stage and underlined the sensitivity of the matter. Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden echoed this sentiment, emphasising that speculation is inappropriate. Frieden added that repressive measures against drones are not simple, noting that shooting down such devices would pose an unacceptable risk to people on the ground.
The press conference was called by Prime Minister Frieden, Minister for Mobility Yuriko Backes, and Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden, along with Guy Bley, the Haut commissaire for national security, to address the recent surge in unidentified drone activity over Luxembourg territory.
