President Milanović: The decision to introduce military service should be made in a constitutional manner, with the cooperation of state authorities

“The decision to introduce military service should be made in a legal and constitutional manner, with the cooperation of the highest state authorities and respecting the chain of command. If we wish to go in that direction again, there should be discussion, and not make a decision hastily because we are not in a direct threat of war – but we always have to behave and consider that some kind of threat exists somewhere – see what we get with it, what we lose and what progress we have made in structuring a professional Croatian Army”, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović stated today in Požega where he attended an oath taking ceremony of the 43^rd generation of soldiers enlisted in voluntary military training.

In his address, President Milanović underlined that the introduction of compulsory military service should be discussed, and make wise and responsible decisions that will be in force for years and “that they not be made at the political whim of someone but an agreement of the Croatian democratically elected authority“.

The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces told the soldiers of the 43^rd generation of soldiers enlisted in voluntary military training who took an oath in the “123^rd Croatian Army brigade barracks“ in Požega that the oath they took is short and clear, it commits them and is voluntary like their training. He reminded them that they took an oath to the constitutional order and laws, to respect the hierarchy and to fulfil their personal commitments that are accepted on a voluntary basis once they enter the system.

“You are here to serve Croatia! That is what you chose and it is one of the most honourable things a person can choose and do in life. Eight weeks is a short training period after which the vast majority of candidates will continue their special training. You are a small group of people – those who applied to serve on a voluntary basis in the Croatian Army and to further build it from the basic level and, I believe, in higher military schools, one day”, President Milanović stated.

He added that this is the fifth year that he has come to the oath taking ceremony of soldiers in Požega, and that he does not remember there ever being such a large number of soldiers, their family members and friends. “I was present at most of the oath taking ceremonies, one was before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the other was after that. I don’t remember a scene such as this one – so many candidates, soldiers, both women and men, and so many close people. It’s a beautiful day and it looks like things are beginning to return to normal”, said President Milanović and wished the soldiers courage and ambition in serving Croatia, its interests, the constitutional, legal and democratic order and everything that makes our Croatia, and to their parents to be proud of their sons and daughters.

In attendance at the oath taking ceremony of the 43^rd generation of soldiers enlisted in voluntary military training were the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant general Tihomir Kundid, the State secretary in the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Croatia and delegate of the Prime Minister and of the Defense Minister Branko Hrg, the Commander of the Croatian Army Major general Blaž Beretin, the Commander of the Training and Doctrine Command “Fran Krsto Frankopan“ Brigadier general Dražen Batrnek, the Commander of the Infantry and Armour Training Centre Colonel Milan Čorak and the Deputy commander of the “123^rd Croatian Army brigade barracks“ Lieutenant colonel Ivica Mandić.

Alongside the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces were the head of the Military Office of the Cabinet for Defense and National Security Brigadier general Ivica Kranjčević and the Aide-de-camp to the President Colonel Vlado Čulina.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek