Defence Minister Ivan Anusic said in Osijek on Saturday there has been a "significant" increase in interest in careers in the Armed Forces over the past six months, but he also highlighted concerns about "running slowly in neutral" when it comes to filling the military reserve.

During demonstrations showcasing the capabilities of the Croatian Armed Forces aimed at popularising military careers, Anusic told reporters that the project aims to recruit new young people into the Armed Forces and expressed hope that many youths will choose this profession.

Regarding various assessments of manpower shortages in the Armed Forces, Anusic noted that there is a shortfall in personnel, but it is not a major problem at the moment as they currently meet all operational capability criteria.

The real issue, according to Anusic, is the filling of the military reserve, stressing that since the abolition of conscription in 2008, there has been a complete standstill without space for new recruitment into the reserve.

He warned that this constitutes a security problem for any country, including Croatia, especially in the current times.

Anusic believes that it is crucial “not only to fill the Armed Forces through professional recruitment but also to have the reserve prepared for potential needs.”

Asked if it is normal for a government aircraft to be used to travel to Germany for a Croatian national team football match, Anusic stated that he is unaware of anyone using a government plane for such purposes and that it is not a matter for him. He suggested directing such inquiries to someone in the government who organized it, as he has no information on the matter.

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid, highlighted that their decision to showcase military professions in Osijek was aimed at bringing them closer to the public, particularly targeting young people who may become future members of the Armed Forces.

Visitors were introduced to robots for explosive ordnance disposal, the capabilities of military police dogs, and drone operations, and they witnessed a military acrobatic display by the Honour Guard Battalion and a flyover by the multi-role combat aircraft “Rafale.”