Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anušić said today that he expects the Defense Law and the Law on Service in the Armed Forces to be adopted in parliament next week, after which preparations and call-ups for new conscripts will begin, with the first conscripts expected to arrive in barracks in January next year, Croatian news agency HINA reported, quoted by BTA.
„Discussions on the Defense Law and the Law on Service in the Armed Forces in the Defense Committee, along with the budget review, are prerequisites for parliamentary debate and adoption next week. "After that, the implementation of the laws will begin," Anusic told reporters ahead of the Defense Commission meeting.
He added that in November and December, the ministry will begin the necessary activities and invitations 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 that the current group in Požega is the last of the volunteer military personnel.
The basic military training will last two months, Anusic said, announcing that details of the training modules that the recruits will undergo and the skills they will acquire during this period will be published soon. He also stressed that all candidates will undergo a medical examination before the training to determine their fitness for service. This will not include drug tests, however, as such tests cannot be carried out without the consent of the candidate under current law.
Although there have been suggestions that the mandatory military training should last longer, Anušić explained that the two-month period was chosen because since 2008, voluntary military service has followed the same model – in which volunteers acquire all the basic skills required for a rifleman within two months.“
“There is already a well-established model and framework, and instructors who work intensively with recruits confirm that two months is quite sufficient. There is no need for three or four months, but the duration can be extended if necessary,“ he said.
“In two months, they will acquire all the basic military skills – survival, self-defense, motor skills, physical training and nutrition.“ “If a recruit decides to continue, he can sign a contract to become a professional soldier and then move on to specialized military training,” the minister added.
The military training will cost around 20 million euros, Anušić said, adding that questions about the costs of civilian service should be addressed to the Interior Ministry. He noted that the remuneration for those performing civilian service will be significantly lower than for army recruits.
The whole process will involve, in addition to the Defense Ministry, the Interior Ministry and the Health Ministry.