Croatia’s Mandatory Military Service Begins January

The news in Croatian

1. ministar  (m.)
   Visoki službenik u vladi koji vodi određeno ministarstvo. ↩︎
2. obvezan
   Nešto što se mora učiniti ili izvršiti. ↩︎
3. vojni
   Koji se odnosi na vojsku ili služenje u vojsci. ↩︎
4. obuka  (f.)
   Proces poučavanja i vježbanja vještina ili znanja za određeni zadatak ili profesiju. ↩︎
5. vještina  (f.)
   Sposobnost da se nešto učini dobro, koja se stječe učenjem. ↩︎
6. tjedan  (m.)
   Jedinica vremena koja se sastoji od sedam dana. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: When does the preparation for Croatia’s military service begin?

Question 2: How much does the mandatory military service cost Croatia?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
ministar  (m.)	minister
obvezan	mandatory
vojni	military
obuka  (f.)	training
vještina  (f.)	skill
tjedan  (m.)	week

Read the full story

Croatia’s Defence Minister, Ivan Anušić, has announced that the first conscripts of the new mandatory military service will begin their training in January next year. This development follows anticipated legislative approval by the Croatian Parliament next week, concerning laws related to defence and service in the armed forces.

The preparations and convocations for the conscripts are expected to commence in November and December, following a positive vote on these laws. Anušić shared this information during a preliminary statement before a Defence Committee meeting where these issues will be further discussed.

According to Anušić, the initial military training will last two months, a decision made based on the existing model of voluntary military service established since 2008. During these two months, recruits are expected to acquire all essential skills necessary for a basic soldier, including survival, self-defence, and physical conditioning. The training has been shaped by expert advice indicating that extending it beyond two months might not yield additional benefits. However, Anušić noted that modifications could be considered if needed.

An essential part of this process involves a medical examination for recruits to determine their capability to participate in the training. However, these checks will not include drug testing unless explicit consent is given by the individuals involved, adhering to legal constraints.

The overall cost for implementing this military service is expected to be around 20 million euros. Those opting for civil service as an alternative to military training may receive significantly lower compensation, with specific details managed by the Ministry of the Interior. Additionally, the Ministry of Health will play a role in this new programme’s implementation.

As Croatia prepares to integrate mandatory military service, the transition marks the end of the current batch of voluntary military training in Požega. This move reflects the government’s strategic alignment aiming to bolster national defence capabilities through a new generation of trained soldiers.

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