Jan 30, 2024. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
Defense Minister announced that while submitting regular annual report, he will explain the proposal on mandatory military service to the Commander-in-Chief.
"We
will explain to the president why we believe that the suspension of mandatory
military service should be abolished," Minister Miloš Vučević said
earlier.
The
proposal comes after a detailed consideration of the general security situation
and the modern challenges faced by the Republic of Serbia as a militarily
neutral country, which imposed the need to adjust the model of recruitment of
the Serbian Armed Forces, which would enable the strengthening of the overall
recruitment potential and the training of a greater number of citizens for the
defense of our country", they stated recently in the General Staff of the
Armed Forces, Blic reminds.
Based on
the statements of high-ranking military and political officials, primarily
Defense Minister Miloš Vučević, but also well-informed domestic military
analysts, a picture is slowly being created of what mandatory military service
in Serbia could look like, if a decision is made to reintroduce it, of course.
In previous
years, various versions were heard, but according to the latest, the most
recent one, military service would last four months, that is, as Minister
Vučević pointed out, "no longer than four months".
It was
suggested that the training should be in two parts - theoretical and practical.
The theory would include the basics of military tactics and techniques,
military law, first aid and self-defense, atomic, biological, chemical
defense...
During the
practical training, the recruits would learn how to disassemble and assemble
weapons, shoot from different infantry weapons, they would go through unarmed
combat and self-defense, movement and camouflage on the battlefield, digging
trenches and building shelters, survival in nature, crossing obstacles (water,
mines field...), and depending on the needs of the army, additional specialist
training could be conducted.
Sanctions
are also provided for not responding to military service. As written in the
Criminal Code, "those who, without justifiable reason, do not respond to
the call to perform military service or avoid receiving the call to perform
that duty, will be fined or charged with up to one year in prison."
Each
subsequent attitude entails more serious penalties. Avoiding conscription by
going into hiding can lead to someone serving a three-year prison sentence, and
leaving the country to avoid military service would result in up to eight years
in prison upon return.
Finally,
encouraging more people to avoid commitment can be sanctioned with 12 years
behind bars. A mitigating circumstance is that anyone who evaded the
obligation, and subsequently reports to the competent authorities, can also
avoid the penalty.
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