Latvia reintroduces compulsory military service
Photo: Natalia Marcelewicz
The Latvian parliament voted on Wednesday to reintroduce mandatory military service for eligible men starting next year, citing risks to regional security in the context of the war launched by Russia against neighboring Ukraine. Compulsory military service will apply to men between the ages of 18 and 27. “The State Defense Service is our answer to the new geopolitical threat”, declared the Latvian Minister of Defense, Inara Murniece, in front of the deputies before the vote. “Since the brutal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, we can only ensure the protection of Latvia through complex defensive solutions, which include not only weapon systems but also the preparation of a large part of society for a military action,” added Murniece. Latvia had abolished compulsory military service after joining NATO in 2004. As of 2007, the Latvian military is made up of career soldiers and National Guard volunteers who serve as part-time infantry on weekends.
The Baltic country, which has a population of less than 2 million inhabitants and borders with Russia and Belarus, currently only, relies on 7,500 soldiers and members of the National Guard, supported by 1,500 soldiers from other NATO states. To enter into force, the new law must be promulgated by President Egils Levits.
The draft law on the State Defense Service and related bills were passed with 68 Latvian MPs voting in favor and 11 against. It is planned that the first conscripts will start their service on July 1 this year. The first draft will be voluntary, but as of January 1, 2024, random selection will apply. The law foresees criminal liability if a person avoids service. Males born after January 1, 2004, are subject to mandatory service and must start service within one year of turning 18. If they are still in school, they must start service within one year after graduation.
Males and females aged 18 to 27 can also apply for the service voluntarily. The compulsory service can be done in one of three ways: 11 months in the National Armed Forces or the National Guard; five years in the National Guard, with at least 21 individual training days per year and seven collective training days per year; and finishing a five-year university education program for a Reserve Lieutenant.
By Cora Sulleyman
