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ZAGREB: Croatian lawmakers on Friday voted to reintroduce mandatory military service to boost the Balkan nation’s defense amid unrest across the globe including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Zagreb abolished military conscription in 2008, a year before joining NATO, in an effort to professionalize its military.
But top officials have since argued that international tensions require the restoration of basic military training to bolster Croatia’s defense forces.
“We are seeing a rise in various types of threats ... that demand swift and effective action from the broader community,” Defense Minister Ivan Anusic, from the ruling conservative HDZ party, told the lawmakers this week.
“In the face of any threat, defending the country is crucial,” he stressed.
Around 18,000 men would be enlisted annually as they turn 18 to take two months of training. The initiative is expected to start next year.
Women will be exempt, while conscientious objectors will be able to serve three or four months in civil service roles, including disaster response teams.
Deputies amended two laws to allow the change. A total of 84 deputies of those present in the 151-seat assembly backed amendments to the defense law, while 110 voted to amend the law on service in the armed forces.
Regular conscripts will be paid 1,100 euros ($1,280) per month, while the amount for those serving in the alternative civil service has yet to be determined, amid reports it could be “considerably lower.”
Military conscripts will also have an advantage when applying for jobs at public and state-run institutions after their service.
Left-wing opponents said the law discriminated against women and those who chose civil protection, as they would receive a lower wage and not be afforded preferential treatment for government jobs.
The NATO member nation of 3.8 million people joined the European Union in 2013.