ZAGREB, 13 Oct (Hina) – Defence Minister Ivan Anušić said on Monday that he expects the Defence Act and the Armed Forces Service Act to be passed in Parliament next week after which preparations and calls for new recruits will begin, with the first conscripts expected to arrive at military barracks in January next year.
“Discussions on the Defence Act and the Armed Forces Service Act at the Defence Committee, along with the budget revision, are prerequisites for a parliamentary debate and adoption next week. After that, the implementation of the laws will begin,” Anušić told reporters before the meeting of the Defence Committee.
He added that in November and December, the Ministry will begin with the necessary activities and calls for basic military training, and from January 1 next year, the first recruits are expected to begin training in barracks.
He noted that this means the current group in Požega is the last generation of voluntary military trainees.
Basic military training will last two months, Anušić said, announcing that details will soon be released about the training modules recruits will go through and the skills they will learn during that period. He also emphasised that all candidates will undergo a medical examination before training to determine fitness for service. However, this will not include drug testing, as such testing cannot be carried out without the candidate’s consent under the current law.
Although some have proposed that compulsory military training should last longer, Anušić explained that the two-month duration was chosen because since 2008, voluntary military service has followed the same model — where volunteers acquire all the basic skills required of a soldier-rifleman within two months.”
“There is already a well-established model and framework, and the instructors who work intensively with recruits confirm that two months is entirely sufficient. There’s no need for three or four months, but the duration could be extended if it proves necessary,” he said.
“In two months, they will acquire all the fundamental military skills — survival, self-defence, motor skills, physical conditioning and nutrition. If a recruit decides to continue, they can sign a contract to become a professional soldier and then proceed to specialised military training,” the minister added.
Military training will cost around €20 million, Anušić said, adding that questions about the cost of civilian service should be directed to the Ministry of the Interior. He noted that compensation for those performing civilian service will be significantly lower than for recruits in the military.
The entire process will involve, in addition to the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health.
