Hundreds of teenagers in Croatia have volunteered for military service as the country begins reintroducing mandatory military training for the first time since it was abolished in 2008.
The first group of around 800 recruits has already been registered and will undergo training in military barracks located in three different parts of the country. Recruits will report to the facility closest to their homes, where they will receive their equipment and accommodation assignments before starting their training.
The program will last two months, during which the recruits will be introduced to military discipline and basic defense skills.
According to Tihomir Kundid, the new recruits will be carefully guided through the process.
“We will teach them step by step so they do not experience excessive stress,” Kundid said.
Unlike traditional military training programs, mobile phones will not be completely banned, although recruits will not be allowed to use them during exercises.
More than half of the participants in the first intake volunteered without waiting for official draft notices, demonstrating strong interest among young people in joining the program.
Training will cover a wide range of modern military skills, including traditional combat techniques, basic drone operation, counter-drone defense, and cybersecurity warfare methods.
The decision to restore mandatory military service comes amid growing security concerns in Europe, particularly following the ongoing war in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion.
Croatia’s Defense Minister Ivan Anušić said the regional security environment has changed significantly.
“The situation in Croatia and across our neighborhood used to be stable. Now it is completely different,” Anušić told the BBC.
Croatia is now among about ten members of the NATO that have reintroduced mandatory military service, joining countries such as Greece and Turkey, as well as several Nordic and Baltic states.
