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Ivan Anusic, the Defense Minister of Croatia, a NATO member state, announced on the 15th that Croatia will resume compulsory military service next year. "The service period will be two months and will start on January 1, 2025." It is reported that this is the first time the country has announced changes to the country's conscription system since 2008.

Croatia previously implemented a compulsory military service system. Since 2008, the country has switched to a voluntary military service system. According to statistics released by the Croatian government, from 2008 to the end of 2022, a total of 10,327 people voluntarily participated in military training. It is reported that the restoration of the compulsory military service system is to build a "better, stronger and higher-quality national defense force."

▲Croatia will resume compulsory military service next year

Anushic stressed that the new soldiers of military age will serve under the same conditions as volunteers. According to local media reports, the country will recruit 4,000 to 4,500 new soldiers every year. These new soldiers will be recruited in batches and then assigned to new recruit camps at multiple military bases for training. During the training, the new recruits will learn basic infantry skills, but will not be involved in more advanced professional skills training in the army.

Currently, volunteers in the Croatian army receive a monthly salary of 900 euros (about 7,100 yuan), and conscripts will receive the same pay.

Anushic added that the Ministry of Defense is ready to increase salaries for military personnel and is advancing the modernization of weapons and equipment in accordance with agreements reached with other NATO member states. He also stressed that the Ministry of Finance has also reached an agreement with the Ministry of Defense that no savings should be made on defense issues.

In fact, Croatia is not the first NATO member to announce the restoration of compulsory military service after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Last year, another NATO member, Latvia, also announced the restoration of compulsory conscription, claiming that its army needed more manpower and well-trained reservists to deal with possible regional conflicts.

Red Star News reporter Li Jinrui and intern Chen Hanyu

Editor Yang Ran Responsible Editor Deng Qiguang