The Croatian parliament has voted to reinstate compulsory military service for men aged 18 and over, marking a significant shift in the country’s defense policy amid growing regional security concerns. The law, passed on Thursday in Zagreb, will come into effect at the end of this year, with the first recruits expected to begin training in early 2026.

Out of the deputies present, 84 voted in favor, 31 abstained, and 11 opposed the amendment to Croatia’s Defense Act. The reform restores a practice that had been suspended since 2008, but the government emphasized that the new model will be shorter, more flexible, and adapted to modern defense needs.

Under the new law, every Croatian male citizen will be registered for military service in the year they turn 18, and called up for a two-month training period the following year. The Ministry of Defense expects to train approximately 4,000 recruits annually. Those who object to military service on religious or moral grounds will have the option of performing four months of civilian service instead.

Recruits will receive a monthly stipend of €1,100 during their training. Those who opt for civilian service will be paid less, with the amount to be determined by separate regulations. Avoiding service altogether will carry a fine of up to €1,320. Women are not subject to the draft but will continue to have the opportunity to volunteer for active or reserve military training, which remains a prerequisite for entering professional service.

Croatia’s Ministry of Defense has stressed that the program’s goal is not to militarize society but to strengthen national resilience and crisis readiness. Officials argue that mandatory training will provide young citizens with essential defense and emergency skills in an increasingly unstable international environment.

The return of conscription comes as several European Union and NATO member states — including Sweden and Lithuania — have taken similar steps in response to the security challenges posed by Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. In this context, Croatia’s decision signals both a regional realignment of defense priorities and a growing recognition that Europe must rebuild its human defense capacity after decades of relying primarily on professional armies.