In attempt to strengthen national defence and ensure military readiness, Croatia has announced the reinstatement of mandatory military service scheduled to commence in 2025.
This decision follows the significant decrease in voluntary service that has been in place since 2008.
Background and Implementation
Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Ivan Anušić, unveiled the new Law on Service in the Armed Forces, laying out plans for the Basic Military Training (Temeljno Vojno Osposobljavanje TVO).
This training program will span eight weeks and will be mandatory for all Croatian men turning 19 in a given year. Until they turn 30, candidates can be sent for training.
While women have the opportunity to volunteer, it is not mandatory.
“In those two months, they will acquire the basic skills and knowledge that a soldier must have, which includes handling personal weapons, tactics, first aid, and everything else a soldier needs to know in order to be ready for any task,” Anušić stated.
During this enlisting, conscripts will receive a salary of €1,100.
The recruits will complete training camps in Knin, Slunj, and Požega, training up to 4,000 recruits annually across five intakes.
But why?
The decision to reintroduce mandatory military service is due to concerns over the decreased interest in voluntary service.
Croatia needs to ensure a steady supply of trained personnel to safeguard national security interests.
Minister Anušić highlighted the importance of providing conscripts with essential military skills, such as weapon handling and tactical manoeuvres, first aid and operational readiness.
This training, he stated “will prepare conscripts for any challenge they may face in service to their country.”
What if I don’t want serve?
If you do not want to complete the mandatory military service and carry a weapon, due to various reasons, you have the right to appeal. In this case, you must serve the military in a civil role.
The alternative Civil Service (civilna služba) will take potentially twice as long as military service.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova, MUP) will manage the training.
Participants can either do three months of crisis response training with Civil Protection (helping during natural disasters or emergencies), or work for four months in local government (hospitals, government institutions, etc) on specific community tasks.
While the pay will be much lower, Civil Service training is a valuable alternative for those who do not want to carry weapons.
Political Response
Minister Anušić stated that President Zoran Milanović supports the law and a large part of the opposition would support it as well.
“This law will be adopted and implemented quickly,” he said. “The law must go through parliamentary procedure,” suggesting the first program could begin no later than January 2026.
For many young men, this is an opportunity to contribute directly to national security. Beyond the military training, the experience aims to foster discipline, camaraderie and a sense of duty among the participants.
For more information visit: https://www.expatincroatia.com/mandatory-military-service/