NATO Member Country to Reintroduce Military Draft
Croatia is set to reinstate mandatory military service next year. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anusic has revealed that the country will reintroduce mandatory military service starting next year.
Croatia has had obligatory conscription in place, but this practice was suspended in 2008 in favor of a volunteer-based military system. On Thursday, Anusic confirmed that young draftees would serve under the same conditions as volunteers.
“The term will last two months; it [conscription] will start on January 1, 2025,” the minister stated during an interview with broadcaster RTL, noting that this plan is consistent with previous government announcements.
He further explained that the Defense Ministry has increased salaries for military personnel and is modernizing its weaponry, as part of commitments made with NATO allies. Anusic emphasized that the Finance Ministry agreed there should be no budget cuts affecting the military.
According to local media, the ministry anticipates recruiting between 4,000 and 4,500 conscripts each year. Draftees will be called up in four or five waves every few months and sent to training camps at military bases in Pozega, Sinj, and Knin. They will focus on basic infantry skills rather than advanced military specialties.
Eligible men who prefer not to serve can apply for medical exemptions, defer their service for academic purposes, or opt for civil service roles as conscientious objectors. Those in the civil service category will be assigned to civil defense tasks or social service contributions.
It is expected that conscientious objectors will serve for twice the duration of their military counterparts, receiving lower compensation for their work. Volunteers currently earn €900 ($990) per month, and conscripts are believed to receive the same amount.
Croatian government statistics indicate that from 2008 to the end of 2022, a total of 10,327 individuals volunteered for military training.
In a similar move, NATO member Latvia reinstated military conscription last year, citing a need for greater manpower and trained reservists in light of potential conflicts involving Russia. Moscow has dismissed these allegations of aggressive intentions toward the U.S.-led military alliance as “ridiculous,” while Washington has used the situation to justify increasing military aid to Ukraine.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
Croatia has had obligatory conscription in place, but this practice was suspended in 2008 in favor of a volunteer-based military system. On Thursday, Anusic confirmed that young draftees would serve under the same conditions as volunteers.
“The term will last two months; it [conscription] will start on January 1, 2025,” the minister stated during an interview with broadcaster RTL, noting that this plan is consistent with previous government announcements.
He further explained that the Defense Ministry has increased salaries for military personnel and is modernizing its weaponry, as part of commitments made with NATO allies. Anusic emphasized that the Finance Ministry agreed there should be no budget cuts affecting the military.
According to local media, the ministry anticipates recruiting between 4,000 and 4,500 conscripts each year. Draftees will be called up in four or five waves every few months and sent to training camps at military bases in Pozega, Sinj, and Knin. They will focus on basic infantry skills rather than advanced military specialties.
Eligible men who prefer not to serve can apply for medical exemptions, defer their service for academic purposes, or opt for civil service roles as conscientious objectors. Those in the civil service category will be assigned to civil defense tasks or social service contributions.
It is expected that conscientious objectors will serve for twice the duration of their military counterparts, receiving lower compensation for their work. Volunteers currently earn €900 ($990) per month, and conscripts are believed to receive the same amount.
Croatian government statistics indicate that from 2008 to the end of 2022, a total of 10,327 individuals volunteered for military training.
In a similar move, NATO member Latvia reinstated military conscription last year, citing a need for greater manpower and trained reservists in light of potential conflicts involving Russia. Moscow has dismissed these allegations of aggressive intentions toward the U.S.-led military alliance as “ridiculous,” while Washington has used the situation to justify increasing military aid to Ukraine.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
