Yesterday, Milanovic sent a letter to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic proposing an “urgent meeting of the Defence Council” to discuss the introduction of mandatory military service, the President’s Office said today. Milanovic said it is “inappropriate and flippant” that, as the Armed Forces commander in chief, he learned from the media that the government intends to delay the introduction of mandatory military service.

The president’s claims are unfounded; he was informed about the model

The ministry said Milanovic has changed his stance on the introduction of basic military training and that he is now, during his presidential election campaign, calling for an urgent meeting of the Defence Council.

The ministry added that Milanovic “outlined six points related to military training, which he refers to as open questions, and claims he did not receive answers to them,” while at the same time “presenting completely unfounded and false assessments.”

The ministry said the president, through people from his office, was informed of all the details of the basic military training model developed by the Armed Forces.

The president is now referring to media interpretations about a ‘postponement of mandatory military service,’ to which the ministry reiterates that, together with the military, it is “ready to implement basic military training.”

Basic military training is not being postponed, and by January next year, the legal framework will be adopted, after which the process of implementing the training will begin, the ministry said.

They added that Milanovic’s former government made the most significant cuts to the rights of Croatian soldiers, while he is now writing that the reintroduction of basic military training should not come at the expense of the professional army.

The ministry claimed that Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s governments have been strengthening the Croatian Armed Forces for the past eight years and that, during the term of the current government and Defence Minister Ivan Anusic, salaries for all active military personnel have increased by an average of 30%, and a series of measures have been introduced to improve the living and working standards of Croatian soldiers.

Interest in the military profession continues to grow

The ministry noted that, during Anusic’s term, the number of young people who first complete voluntary military training and then seek employment in the army has significantly increased. Next month, for the first time in several years, more than 200 young men and women are expected to participate in voluntary military training, the ministry added.

“There is also unprecedented investment in the equipment and modernisation of the Croatian Armed Forces – from Rafale jets, Black Hawk helicopters, Bradley vehicles, soon HIMARS systems, drones, and Western-made tanks,” the ministry said, adding that its budget has increased by 122% since 2016, “thanks to which these major investments in the Armed Forces are possible.”

The ministry also responded to Milanovic’s claim that he had not received an answer on how 4,000 recruits would be selected for basic military training from the potential pool of 18,000 young men who turn 18 each year.

“Four thousand recruits annually, to begin with, fully meet the needs of the Croatian Armed Forces, both in terms of reserve and the active-duty military personnel. The potential is 18,000 young men, some of whom will invoke conscientious objection, some will not be medically fit according to data that the Ministry of Defence officially receives from other relevant bodies, and some will not pass the medical examination during recruitment. From those remaining in the pool for basic military training, the plan is to select 4,000 recruits based on the criteria of being the most physically and medically fit,” the ministry said, adding that these criteria will be clearly defined and publicly available.

The ministry emphasised that the Basic Military Training Model was developed by the Armed Forces, which proposed that the training lasts two months.

“It is unclear why the president trusts so-called military experts more than the professionals from the Armed Forces, who are responsible for this matter,” the ministry said, adding that voluntary military training currently lasts two months.

It also noted that the model for civilian service is being developed in cooperation with the Interior Ministry and will be implemented in partnership with Civil Protection and local authorities and that the model is ready.

Special attention given to students

The ministry also said that special attention is being given to students. They will be allowed to defer basic military training as long as they are studying; they will only need to provide proof of enrollment. After they finish their studies, they will be called for service by the time they turn 30.

In other cases, the ministry said it has ensured that military conscripts are not disadvantaged, so additional situations are foreseen in which deferments will be possible, for example, when someone has started a business, recently been employed, or needs to participate in certain competitions.

For employees, the current Labour Act already recognises that their rights are suspended with their employer during the period of military training.

The aim is, the ministry said, to protect workers in terms of returning to their jobs after basic military training, so compensation for employers will be stipulated while their employee is serving in the military. This is similar to how the ministry compensates employers when reservists attend military exercises lasting about ten days. Workers will not be able to be fired because of basic military training, and this will be clearly stipulated by law.

Funds for military training will be included in the 2025 budget

Finally, the ministry emphasised that the funds for basic military training will be included in the state budget for 2025.