Croatia will reinstate compulsory military service beginning this week, marking the first time in 17 years that the European Union nation has required mandatory military duty.
Starting Monday, 800 new recruits will begin two-month basic training programs at military facilities throughout the country.
The Croatian government modified its defense legislation last October to bring back mandatory service, aligning with European trends as tensions with Russia have prompted calls for enhanced defense readiness across the continent.
While the public initially showed mixed reactions to the policy change, more than half of the initial group of recruits volunteered for service, with women making up 10% of participants. Only 10 individuals have filed for conscientious objector status and requested civilian service assignments instead, representing the lowest such percentage in Europe according to academic experts.
Leon Dejanovic, an 18-year-old internet influencer, will begin his training in May as one of 4,000 conscripts the government intends to recruit annually.
Although receiving his draft notification in January felt “a little scary and surprising,” the social media personality with thousands of followers said he sees the upcoming training as an opportunity to step away from his digital world.
“Honestly, I cannot wait to be without my cell phone for a while because I am on my cell phone all day for my job,” Dejanovic told Reuters from his home in Karlovac, located 50 kilometers southwest of Zagreb, the capital.
The training program will cover fundamental survival techniques, self-defense, first aid, and operating FPV drones. Participants receive various benefits including a monthly stipend of 1,100 euros ($1,272.04), employment history credits, and priority consideration for government jobs.
However, not everyone shares Dejanovic’s positive outlook. His friend Josip Franjo Cvitesic, a 19-year-old factory employee, expressed reservations about the program.
“I haven’t received a call-up yet, but honestly, I’m against it,” said Cvitesic, explaining his worry that military service might interfere with his employment and earnings.
With Croatia’s reinstatement of mandatory service, 10 NATO member countries now require compulsory military duty, alongside Greece, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
