Military service in Moldova not to be mandatory

Chisinau, 20 March /MOLDPRES/- Young people from Moldova will no longer be enrolled in compulsory military service, and their place in the army will be taken by soldiers employed by contract. The leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova, Vlad Plahotniuc, made the statement today. He noted that the party will give all political support to the reform which will soon be launched by the Defense Ministry.

Plahotniuc said that the start of the National Army reform process will be shortly released, and this autumn the number of recruits enrolled in compulsory military service will be reduced.

“Last year, the Democratic Party asked the government for a comprehensive study on the matter and an action plan to eliminate compulsory military service and transform our army into a professional one. I called for such an assessment as a result of signals that addressed the conditions that the army can offer to young recruits, insufficient conditions for a thorough training and decent living during the military service. The way some young people pay large amounts of money to escape military service, as being enrolled only those who do not have money to pay, must be stopped forever,” he said.

He said that giving up conscription will be done in stages, in about two years, the number of young recruited for the army will decrease until the complete elimination of compulsory military service is achieved. The government will solve the logistic and financial problems.

“Following the reform, thousands of young people will be relieved of the burden of compulsory recruitment,” he concluded.

At present, the legislation sees that citizens of Moldova aged between 18 and 27 years who are not ill or are not in education are enrolled in military service, which lasts 12 months.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor M. Jantovan)