Croatia is set to reintroduce mandatory military service, with the first recruitment calls expected in mid-2025, according to the Ministry of Defense. Legal procedures for implementing this decision will commence in January 2025, following the upcoming presidential elections.
Defense Minister Ivan Anušić has stated that recruits will be accommodated at three locations and highlighted the high recruitment potential. “There are approximately 17,000 to 18,000 young people turning 18 each year who will be our future candidates for basic military training,” he said during a visit to barracks in Bjelovar.
President Zoran Milanović, who serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has not opposed the reintroduction of military service but has called for extensive discussions within the Defense Council. “This decision cannot be a political whim but must be an agreement by Croatia’s democratically elected government,” he emphasized.
Mandatory military service, previously suspended in Croatia, is expected to strengthen military capabilities and prepare young citizens for national defense and emergency situations.
