Lithuanian PM wants universal conscription introduced during current term of office

  • 2017-01-10
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS - Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis says that the country should introduce universal military conscription for young men during the government's current term of office.

"I think this should be achieved during the current term of office," he told reporters on Tuesday.

In Skvernelis' opinion, universal conscription could be introduced in 2019.

The prime minister earlier in the day discussed this issue with Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis and Chief of Defense Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Zukas.

The government plans that all young men who have graduated from secondary school and are not enrolled in a higher education institution would be called up for military service. According to Skvernelis, there are around 6,000-7,000 such men annually.

Lithuania in 2015 reintroduced mandatory military conscription in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine and the Baltic Sea region. Some 3,000 to 3,500 men aged 19 to 26 years are drafted annually.