Croatia's defence minister said the government will reintroduce two months of mandatory military service from January 1, 2025.
The move comes amid heightened tensions in Europe following Russia's aggression against Ukraine, as well as an apparent arms race and military build-up in the Balkans, which experienced a bloody war in the 1990s, HINA reported.
This decision marks a return to conscription, discontinued in 2008 when the country switched to a volunteer-based system.
"We have increased the salaries of soldiers, sergeants, and officers, as well as their material rights not only through personal income but also through daily wages and everything they are entitled to," the minister told Croatian television RTL.
"The modernization and equipping of the armed forces is going according to plan and following the agreement with our allies and the NATO leadership," the minister said, adding that no funds will be spared in this area.
Other countries in Europe are considering similar measures or have reinstated conscription in response to heightened tensions in the region.
Last year, Latvia reinstated conscription in response to the threat posed by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Serbia, Croatia's biggest rival in the Balkans, is also considering resuming conscription. | BGNES
