Conscription, youth and politics

2024-01-30 12:25:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Illustrative photo

"Conflicts happen in the world and the country must be defended if a conflict occurs," says a young man on the streets of Belgrade, when asked by DW if he supports the return of compulsory military service. He supports it, he says, because the country needs to be better prepared. Others told DW that men today are "too feminized," "incompetent" that the military must bring into line, like "our forefathers."

A young man says the whole discussion is "morbid" after two mass murders last May in Serbia. "Not even a year has passed since then and already the youth and children are facing the roar of guns overhead, which is not in line with common sense.

Armies have shortcomings

Compulsory military service has been a topic of debate and political point in Serbia for years. However, at the beginning of the year, it seemed to be updated, as the General Staff proposed to the "supreme commander" Aleksandar Vu?i? that young people should perform compulsory military service. It is not yet known what type of army and for how long, this still has to be is discussed.

"We should be given a certain period of time for our recruitment centers to work at full capacity", recently said the Minister of Defense, Milosh Vu?evi?. "13 years have passed since the suspension, from that period we have 13 generations that have not they are not even part of the reserve units. The main question remains, do we want a stronger or a weaker military?"

On the other hand, experts greeted the announcements with different comments. They say that the professional army is declining. As in many European countries, the army does not have enough men.

"Officers across Europe say that young people are less and less interested in the army, in weapons and war," military analyst Vlade Radulovi? told DW.

"Even those who apply to the professional service, because of the movies and games, have thought that they will be like Rambo. And then they face the reality in the barracks that is very different from the marketing. Disappointment happens quickly to a part of young people and they they don't find themselves in the army," he adds. In Serbia, he says, professional soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers are faced with banal questions - are they entitled to a free weekend, holidays, what are the working hours and what is the salary, can they advance if they don't have good connections etc?All this often made them decide to work in the private sector for better money rather than the military.

The trend in the region and Europe

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has also warned of the return of compulsory military service after finishing high school. The debate in Croatia is similar to that in Serbia. Announcements also come from the "Vetevendosje" Movement of Albin Kurti in Kosovo.

"It would be good for every young person to be ready for anything, if the country faces any kind of conflict," a young man in Prishtina tells us. Another says: "I think it would be more reasonable if everyone would have a free choice, and not whether the army is compulsory or imposed".

As DW has already written, a number of European countries have brought back compulsory military service in the last ten years. Ukraine and Lithuania did so after the annexation of Crimea, Sweden since 2018, Latvia since this year.

In Norway and Denmark, the military is compulsory, but there are enough volunteers to replenish the forces, so no one is forced to go to the bottom. Even in Germany there is a lively discussion about the return of compulsory military service.

A recent poll shows that 52 percent of Germans support conscription, while 32 percent oppose it. However, the older the respondents, the more fervently they support military service.

Young people on the streets of Berlin give different answers in a DW poll: "I think everyone should become a soldier from the age of 18 onwards, because we currently have very few soldiers here," says one young man.

Another says it's crazy that people join the military only to later kill themselves in wars organized by someone sitting in an office. "Maybe we should enter gun duels again? Let them (those from the offices) kill each other and the rest live free," he says.

Vlade Radulovi? says that, in addition to real problems, the reason for the ongoing talks about military service should also be sought in politics. "It's often cheap marketing, especially in the Balkan region. It's nice to bring up the topics of weapons and the military, because it ignites the emotions of the voters."

Big words, but...

According to polls so far, over two-thirds of people in Serbia support the introduction of compulsory military service. Even the majority of young people support this. A few years ago, a House of Wine agency poll circulated, according to which 72.5 percent of young people (from 17 to 30 years old) declared for the mandatory army.

Military analyst Radulovi? says that the media frames in Serbia are being repeated: it is constantly said that young people also support compulsory service. "But ask them specifically if they are going to serve? Or, when someone is 27, ask why they didn't volunteer when they could?"

He thinks there is a real fear that some young people may avoid compulsory military service. By getting an alibi from the doctor, which was done before, or even by emigrating from the country. Therefore, according to Radulovic, care should be taken and gradual action should be taken in raising the reputation of the army, to attract more and more young people to serve voluntarily, before any obligation is introduced.

Finally, what does the idea of ??returning recruitment to the region mean, are new conflicts coming? "When you live in an unstable region and you also have an unstable geopolitical context, when you also have announcements from neighbors that also mention mandatory military service... all this suggests that there are preparations for possible conflicts," says Radulovi?. However , he adds: "But that's not the point. The long-term sustainability of the defense system is essential. What happens if the number of people in the army continues to decrease?"/ DW