Hundreds of teenagers report for duty as Croatia reinstates conscription

The policy has regional reverberations.

“- Published Hundreds of teenage Croatians have reported for compulsory military service – for the first time since their country scrapped the requirement in 2008”

BBC

Slovenia's largest opposition party has pushed a return to conscription.

BBC

Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucic, has announced military service will return within the next 12 months.

Serbia has significantly increased military spending, which has "jangled nerves in Kosovo and Bosnia."

Serbia has voiced alarm about Croatia's new military alliance with Kosovo and Albania.

James Ker-Lindsay, an analyst specialising in the Balkans and international conflict, said: 'Any military development in the Balkans just makes the whole region far less secure because everyone reads it as being aimed against them.'

Croatia plans three more intakes before the end of this year with a target of training 4,000 recruits every year.

Croatia is one of 10 Nato countries that have brought back mandatory military service, joining Greece, Turkey, the Scandinavian countries and the Baltics.