Croatia reintroduces compulsory military service
Croatia reinstated mandatory military service on Friday after lawmakers voted 84-to-11 to approve changes to defense legislation. The decision follows regional security concerns stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Balkan instability.
Citizens born in 2007 will undergo medical evaluations by year-end, before basic training begins in January 2026. Defense Minister Ivan Anušić said the program will prepare 4,000 recruits annually through instruction in cybersecurity, drone operation, first aid and survival techniques. Conscientious objectors may perform civil service for three to four months.
The nation abolished conscription in 2008 but recently strengthened military capabilities through regional partnerships. Croatia signed a trilateral defense pact with Albania and Kosovo earlier this year despite Serbian opposition.
