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Radio Free Europe
- July 25, 2026 11:50
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Since February 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the security landscape in Europe has changed radically.
The feeling of insecurity spread across the continent, and one of the most obvious consequences was the return of the debate over compulsory military service.
European countries are increasing defense budgets, strengthening their militaries, and investing in new defense models.
The same trend is also being observed in Western Balkan countries that are aiming for membership in the European Union.
Serbia announced that, from March next year, it will reinstate compulsory military service, which will last 75 days.
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Kosovo aims to implement the Finnish model of comprehensive protection.
Meanwhile, Croatia - the newest member of the European Union - reinstated compulsory military service in March 2026.
Two months of training cost the state about 20 million euros per year, while recruits receive 1.100 euros per month, benefit from work experience, as well as food and transportation.
For those who refuse military service, there is civilian service, which lasts twice as long and is paid less.
Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to rely on a professional army, but is also considering the creation of a reserve force.
Every model of compulsory military service touches on a crucial period of life - the twenties. And it is not a simple process.
As Bosnian and Herzegovina military analyst Dean Xhebić explains, putting someone in uniform doesn't just mean giving them "a piece of cloth with an emblem on both shoulders."
"It's a sociological and cultural challenge for the whole society, because, in a way, it militarizes the whole society. Especially when we talk about Generation Z - you take young people away from TikTok, from their mothers, from their homes, and put them in uniform," Xhebiq tells Radio Free Europe.
According to him, in Croatia one can already read comments on social networks from young people complaining that they miss their phones, PlayStations, video games, and everything they left behind in civilian life.
What do young people want?
Mahmud and Nejra, a young couple that Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalists met in Sarajevo, believe that reinstating compulsory military service would help young people develop more discipline, wake up on time, and acquire better work habits.
"People should change, the situation should no longer be like it is now," says Mahmud.
An alternative report on the position and needs of young people in Serbia, published in 2024, shows that 51 percent of girls and 47 percent of boys support compulsory military service for men.
Even young people in Belgrade, whom Radio Free Europe spoke to, say they would answer the call if they received it.
"When the call comes, what should we do? We'll go for two and a half months," says Zoran.
Miloshi also has the same opinion:
"We will not refuse. We will do it and that's it. There is no other choice."
They, as well as other young people who spoke to Radio Free Europe, say that if their fathers and grandfathers have completed military service, they see no reason why they shouldn't do it too.
"Military service is very important because it shapes a person. It teaches them discipline and work habits, which from a young age help them grow as an independent person and a good member of society," says Amari from Sarajevo.
The 2025 Eurobarometer also shows that 31 percent of young Europeans believe that security and defense should be among the European Union's top priorities, while global peace and stability rank among their greatest concerns.
At the same time, a survey conducted with European Union citizens shows record support for a common European defense.
In fact, 78 percent of them express concern about Europe's security and defense over the next five years.
Why is Europe changing its approach to defense?
Presenting the European Union's plan to increase defense preparedness, European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said last year that European countries would invest 6.8 trillion euros in defense by 2035.
"We aim to achieve full defense readiness before 2030. Why? Because of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's plans. We need to deter aggression, prevent war and preserve peace. That's exactly what this plan is for," Kubilius said.
Explaining the new direction of European defense policy, Predrag Petrovic, from the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, says that there are two main factors behind this change.
"The first is [US President] Donald Trump, who demands that Europe finally take responsibility for its own security and allocate the funds it has promised to NATO, instead of skimping on defense and security," Petrovic tells Radio Free Europe.
The second factor is Russia, namely the war in Ukraine.
"All this forces Europe to increase investments in defense and security, as well as to restore its defense capabilities to face a possible conflict with Russia. This is the theme that has dominated since the Russian invasion of Ukraine," adds Petrovic.
After the last NATO summit, held in Ankara in June, it was announced that the 31 member countries of the Alliance have collectively increased their defense spending by $139 billion over the past year.
A year ago, NATO pledged to increase defense and security spending to 5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2035.
For next year alone, Germany approved a military budget of 105 billion euros, compared to 82 billion euros a year earlier, Reuters reported.
Europe's largest economy abolished compulsory military service in 2011, but now, in light of developments in Ukraine, is reinstating a model of voluntary military service.
All men over the age of 18 will be required to complete a questionnaire for military service, while for women this will be voluntary.
Those who express willingness to join the military will undergo an assessment process, which is expected to begin in mid-2027.
What about the Western Balkans?
After Croatia, the next country in the Western Balkans expected to reinstate compulsory military service is Serbia.
Compulsory military service in Serbia is scheduled to begin in March 2027.
So far, around 130 million euros have been allocated for preparations, mainly for the reconstruction of abandoned barracks.
The plan calls for men aged 18 to 30 to perform 75 days of military service, but it must be approved by the Serbian Parliament.
According to Predrag Petrovic, from the Belgrade Center for Security Policy, Serbian authorities justify the return of military service with the worsening security situation in the region and in Europe.
"However, this argument does not hold up, because the return of compulsory military service has been announced for almost ten years," says Petrovic.
"This is not a new idea that arose as a result of the war in Ukraine or developments in the Middle East. Serbia has simply faced a massive exodus of military personnel of all profiles," he adds.
When announcing that Serbia would reinstate compulsory military service, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that this would "further strengthen our defense capabilities."
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The Serbian army - a country that in late 2007 declared military neutrality through a parliamentary resolution to protect sovereignty, territorial integrity and constitutional order - officially became professional in early 2011.
This happened after the Parliament's decision to suspend compulsory military service came into effect.
Since then, compulsory military service was replaced by voluntary service, while the ranks of the army began to be filled with professional soldiers and officers.
Bosnia and Herzegovina remains with a professional army
Bosnia and Herzegovina is not considering reinstating compulsory military service.
The current Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina were established in 2006, following defense reform and the unification of previous military structures into a single professional army.
However, the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zukan Helez, launched an initiative in 2025 to create a military reserve, which would include not only former military personnel, but also professionals such as engineers, doctors and other medical personnel.
His initiative came after Croatia and Serbia decided to reinstate mandatory military training, while the Republika Srpska entity began procedures for creating reserve police forces.
"When we talk about Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is lagging behind. Our law on defense has undergone minimal changes, while the Security Strategy dates from 2006. All these strategic documents are now outdated," says Xhebić.
But, in Bosnia and Herzegovina's complex administrative system, any change depends on "political agreement".
"In Bosnia and Herzegovina we still don't know what we want to do with the Armed Forces. They are the largest state institution and employ around 11.000 people," says Xhebić.
Currently, the army remains professional, without the changes that other countries in the region are implementing.
According to Xhebiqi, the only concrete initiative of the Ministry of Defense is the creation of a reserve system.
"The army lacks architects, civil engineers, doctors. The salaries it offers cannot be compared to those in the private sector," he says.
The regulation on military reserve would allow, for example, a doctor to be called up for military service, while his status would be regulated in coordination with the employer.
For all these reforms, says Xhebić, Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoys the support of NATO and the European mission, EUFOR.
The Finnish model in Kosovo
Kosovo, which has the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) as a professional army, is considering not restoring compulsory military service, but implementing a comprehensive defense model, similar to that of Finland and the Baltic countries.
Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in late May that it is "wiser" for Kosovo to build a comprehensive defense system than to introduce mandatory military service, which it has long promised.
"It is a model similar to that of Finland and the Baltic countries, where you do not create an army as a large group of people that you then have to organize and equip, but define concrete functions and tasks, as well as certain roles for citizens in the event of various dangers - from natural disasters to armed conflicts," Kurti said.
In September 2024, the Government of Kosovo approved the National Program for Comprehensive Protection, which aims to prepare the state to face security threats, attacks, and natural disasters.
The program envisages increasing the resilience of society through training citizens, developing the reserve, strengthening defense against hybrid threats, and introducing a new subject in high schools.
Acting Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, tells Radio Free Europe that during the previous government mandate, an analysis was conducted to determine which defense concept best suits Kosovo.
"We came to the conclusion that the concept of comprehensive protection is very appropriate, necessary and at the same time does not create large financial costs," says Maqedonci.
He adds that this model builds a broad protection system at the social and institutional level, without forcing young people to perform military service for a certain period.
"We have avoided compulsory military service to enable Kosovo to continue its economic development, that is, without hindering it, keeping our citizens engaged in other fields and, at the same time, strengthening the country's defense system," says the Macedonian.
This system also paves the way for the involvement of volunteers, non-governmental organizations, and individuals in preparation and training.
"We continue to maintain a professional force, the Kosovo Security Force, with 5.000 active members and 3.000 reservists, but, at the same time, we are also developing the volunteer reserve, which will be at the service and support of the KSF, if the need arises," says Maqedonci.
Members of the Kosovo Security Force during a military exercise in October 2025.
Members of the Kosovo Security Force during a military exercise in October 2025.
The Finnish model, in essence, is a strategy for mobilizing the entire state in the event of war.
"The principle of total defense in Finland means that our defense depends on the strong support of the whole of society," Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen declared after the government's defense report was approved in December 2024.
According to data from the Finnish Ministry of Defense, more than 80 percent of Finns support the current system of compulsory military service.
What about the other Western Balkan countries?
As for other countries in the region, the current model of military service remains, for the time being, unchanged.
Montenegro abolished compulsory military service in 2006.
Since 2019, it has offered a quarterly voluntary service, which paves the way for candidates to join the professional army of around 2.400 members.
As a NATO member since 2017, Montenegro allocated a record 2.05% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense last year.
Although compulsory military service has been abolished, the country's Defense Minister, Dragan Krapović, and the ministry he heads do not rule out the possibility of its return.
But, they emphasize that such a decision would require a detailed analysis, a broad political consensus and, above all, the support of public opinion.
North Macedonia abolished compulsory military service in 2006 and switched to a professional army.
Today, its army numbers around 7.000 members, including active and reserve forces.
Currently, there are no official plans to reinstate compulsory military service.
As a NATO member since 2020, North Macedonia continues to adhere to the professional military model, while citizens are offered the opportunity for a three-month voluntary military training.
Slovenia, a NATO member since 2004, also abolished compulsory military service in 2003 and switched to a professional army.
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More than two million active-duty soldiers from NATO member countries are deployed throughout Europe.
Since Russia's complete invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Finland and Sweden have also joined the Alliance.
