The Public Accounts Committee has sharply criticized the Ministry of Defence for inadequate maintenance of its buildings, revealing a lack of oversight and planning. A statement released on Monday outlined concerns regarding the condition of Defence properties.

The committee’s criticism stems from the Ministry’s failure to maintain a comprehensive overview of its buildings’ conditions, its lack of a long-term maintenance plan, and its failure to fully utilize allocated maintenance funds. These shortcomings have led to widespread neglect and poor living conditions in several barracks, including conscript areas.

Issues identified include the presence of mold in common areas and malfunctioning sewer, toilet, and bathing facilities. Over the past three years, the Danish Working Environment Authority has issued the Ministry of Defence over 100 orders, with a third requiring immediate action.

The Ministry of Defence, which manages approximately 5,000 buildings across 230 locations, has struggled to keep up with inspections. The National Audit Office reports that nearly 80% of the Ministry’s buildings have not been inspected within the recommended timeframe.

Despite recent significant budget increases for the Defence, allocated funds for building maintenance remain underutilized. From 2018 to 2023, DKK 2.6 billion was earmarked for this purpose, but only DKK 1.8 billion was spent, leaving almost DKK 800 million unspent.

Furthermore, the Public Accounts Committee highlighted the Ministry’s short-term approach to maintenance planning. Despite a 13-year-old goal of establishing a ten-year maintenance plan, the Ministry has only prepared plans on a year-by-year basis.