Austrian soldiers Photo: David Ryan / imageBROKER / Profimedia
Austria will organize a referendum on the extension of mandatory military service, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker announced on Friday, reports DPA, taken over by Agerpres.
Stocker stated that the result of the vote will be “binding for the political parties and the government”.
A panel of experts last week proposed extending basic military service from six to eight months, combined with another two months of mandatory reserve training. Geopolitical tensions show that inaction is not an option, said the head of the commission, Erwin Hameseder.
Austria is not a NATO member state, and defense experts have warned that the country's armed forces currently suffer from major deficiencies.
Compulsory military service, expanding in European countries. What are the expected changes in the coming years?
The country has a professional army and a reserve force, with about 50,000 soldiers available for mobilization in case of crisis.
While many Western European countries have abandoned compulsory military service, Austria still requires all men to serve in the army from the age of 18, but they can opt for alternative civilian service.
