The Serbian military asked President Aleksandar Vucic to reinstate conscription 13 years after mandatory military service was suspended.

The decision to suspend mandatory military service was taken by the Serbian government in 2010 and took effect at the start of 2011. Conscription was replaced by voluntary service and the choice of the military as a career for both enlisted and commissioned personnel. The possible reinstatement of conscription has been raised on several occasions over the past few years by both the authorities and opposition, especially prior to elections.

“With the aim of raising the defense capabilities of the Army of Serbia, through rejuvenation and the promoting of enlistment and training for active and reserve personnel, the General Staff, as the highest expert and staff body for the preparation and use of the Army of Serbia in peace and war, launched the initiative and proposed to the President of the Republic and Supreme Commander of the Army of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic the reinstatement of mandatory military service of four months duration,” a Defense Ministry statement said.

It said that the General Staff proposal comes after detailed reviews of the overall security situation and challenges facing Serbia as a militarily neutral country. The press release added that the challenges imposed the need to adapt enlistment models to allow “the strengthening of the overall recruitment potential and training of a large number of citizens for the defense of our country.”