- Title: Croatia's first batch of military conscripts take ceremonial oath
- Date: 20th March 2026
- Summary: POZEGA, CROATIA (MARCH 20, 2026) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MILITARY CONSCRIPTS AND VOLUNTEERS IN BARRACKS OF THE 123RD CROATIAN ARMY BRIGADE VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS WALKING WITH CROATIAN FLAG SOLDIER RAISING CROATIAN FLAG RAFALE MILITARY AIRPLANE FLYING OVER / CONSCRIPTS AND VOLUNTEERS APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (Croatian) CROATIAN DEFENCE MINISTER, IVAN ANUSIC, SAYING: “We spent a yea
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- Keywords: Croatia NATO army army cadets defence military conscription
- Location: POZEGA, CROATIA
- City: POZEGA, CROATIA
- Country: Croatia
- Topics: Defence,Europe,Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001583520032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Croatia's first military conscripts in 17 years took their ceremonial oath on Friday (March 20) at barracks in Pozega, marking the completion of two months of basic military training.
Around 800 cadets began training after Croatia resumed mandatory military service as part of the European Union member's broader strategy to address security concerns.
Defence Minister Ivan Anusic attended the ceremony, praising the high response rate to the call-up.
"We experienced an incredible surprise, a positive one of course, and that surprise was that almost 100% of those who were invited responded to basic military training," he said.
The minister added that Croatia was "the only country within the NATO system that has managed to restore the foundation of military training in this very short time."
Stela Marker said she signed up voluntarily, calling it her duty to "protect what we have and what our people fought for."
Another conscript, Filip Boic, who got the call up to go, said he enjoyed it despite the discipline required, and might even enroll properly. "I have no complaints, it's a little strict, there's discipline, but I really like it, I might even consider staying on.”
Croatia amended its defence law last October to introduce mandatory service in line with European trends and as tensions with Russia spurred calls for stronger defence capabilities across Europe.
Despite initial public division, more than half of the first batch of recruits were volunteers, 10% of them women. Only 10 people have filed conscientious objections and applied to serve in the civilian service instead, which is the lowest percentage in Europe, according to academics.
Including Croatia, there will now be 10 NATO countries with mandatory military service, including Greece, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
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