Croatia to reintroduce compulsory military draft as regional tensions soar

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s defense minister says the government will reintroduce a two-month compulsory military service starting January 1, 2025. The move comes amid heightened tensions in Europe following the Russian aggression against Ukraine as well as an apparent arms race and military buildup in the Balkans which went through a bloody war in the 1990s. This decision marks a return to conscription, which was suspended in 2008 when the country shifted to a volunteer-based system.