We should consider returning compulsory military service in Belgium, said the head of the "Human Resources" department in the Belgian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Thierry Esser, quoted by local media, BTA reported.
According to him, first of all, it is necessary to work to make the military profession look attractive, and the restoration of compulsory service is an additional opportunity to provide the necessary number of fighters. The return of conscription is part of our plans, the general specified. According to him, it is not a matter of choice, but of an obligation imposed by the geopolitical context.
In November last year, the Belgian authorities sent letters to 149,000 young people over the age of 17, inviting them to voluntarily join the armed forces for a period of one year. The goal is to attract 3,500 young people, from whom the 500 most suitable for training will be selected this year. Next year, the number of those selected is expected to reach 1,000, and after 2030 - seven times more, media outlets specified.