Serbia reinstates compulsory military service - Vucic

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced the start of the liquidation of tent cities in the center of Belgrade after student protests and announced the restoration of compulsory military service in the country. This is reported by UNN with reference to the Serbian public broadcaster RTS.

Details

Vučić officially confirmed that Serbia is returning to conscription, which was abolished in 2011.

According to the government's plan, service will start in 2026 and will last 75 days for men aged 19 to 27, including two months of intensive training and two weeks of field exercises. For women, service remains voluntary.

This is good for the whole society, young people will learn responsibility, it does not pose any problem for them. There is no harshness there, as it was before, or anything like that. And very soon everyone will feel richer, and everyone will do something for their country

It is noted that citizens who, for moral or ideological reasons, refuse to serve with weapons will be able to undergo alternative civilian service, but its duration will be more than 150 days - twice as long.

Vučić explains the restoration of compulsory service by the need to strengthen the country's defense capabilities in conditions of global instability, despite Serbia's official status as a militarily neutral state.

Recall

In December 2025, thousands of activists protested in the city of Novi Pazar, opposing government pressure on state universities. The action was a continuation of a large-scale movement that arose after the tragedy at the railway station in Novi Sad, where 16 people died as a result of a roof collapse.

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