Lithuanian army Arūnas Balčiūnas, head of the conscription and recruitment service, believes that it would make sense to consider changes to the regulation of the law providing for conscription into compulsory military service. The representative of the army points out that the current law provides for a lot of exceptions that allow the postponement of mandatory military service. However, according to him, if the goal is that all citizens of Lithuania should be ready to defend the state, then it should be pursued.
For his part, the chairman of the Seimas National Security and Defense Committee (NSGK) Laurynas Kasčiūnas is convinced that the only sustainable solution to this problem is the universal introduction of compulsory military service after school. The politician assures that he intends to return to this idea in this session of the Seimas.
Military Representative: There are many exemptions that allow you to defer mandatory military service
"Currently, there is a law that provides for the summons procedure and the possibility of postponement. We are guided by that law, that regulation. Yes, our observation is that there are really many conscripts who get on the conscription lists, but do not start further procedures", A. Balčiūnas told Eltai.
The head of the Conscription and Recruitment Service of the Lithuanian Armed Forces emphasizes that the law provides for many exceptions, due to which conscripts can postpone mandatory military service.
"A significant number postpones their studies, due to ill health, family reasons, etc. If you look at the conscription law, there are 15 points listed under which service can be postponed: judges, prosecutors, internal affairs officers, intelligence officers etc. If there is a political will for all or most of our citizens to prepare for state defense, then we should go in that direction," he said.
A. Balčiūnas states that before identifying what should be improved in the law, a detailed analysis should be carried out.
"In order to say what specifically should be improved, perhaps a deeper analysis should be carried out, and then a political decision would still need to be made. This is not a question of military service, what should be improved. But monitoring, analysis, that's right, should be done, to assess today's modern security situation, what is happening around," said the head of the Conscription and Recruitment Service.
A. Balčiūnas also draws attention to the fact that the Lithuanian Constitution clearly states that Lithuanian citizens must perform military or alternative service.
"If our citizens must all be ready to defend the state, then we must go towards that, create conditions for everyone to perform their service. As the Constitution says, it is everyone's duty," he emphasized.
L. Kasčiūnas: universal mandatory conscription is the only sustainable solution
Meanwhile, L. Kasčiūnas believes that the most sustainable way of solving this problem would be the introduction of mandatory military service for young people right after school. Because, according to him, narrowing the exceptions currently provided for in the law would solve the problem only temporarily.
"Without a doubt, the most sustainable solution to this problem would be the introduction of universal conscription. I and our political force declared at the signing of the party agreement that we are in favor of universal compulsory conscription for young people after school. The most sustainable solution would be this, then the problem of exceptions would be solved automatically", said the chairman of NSGK to Eltai.
"I am ready to discuss this and move in the direction of mandatory conscription. I think that this is the best and most correct solution, which would meet the principle of universal defense. Of course, it will take time, because resources are needed here, but we are ready to do it," he expressed his position.
L. Kasčiūnas says that he intends to return to the discussion on the introduction of universal mandatory military service in this session of the Seimas.
"I think now is a great opportunity to return to the idea of introducing compulsory military service over a period of time, a transitional period. I promise to return at least during this session of the Seimas for a serious conversation about it," he assured.
However, according to the politician, if the Ministry of National Defense (KAM) and the army would specifically name which exceptions provided for in the law cause the most problems, it would be possible to consider changes in the regulation of conscription for compulsory military service.
"If the Ministry of Defense and the army would say very clearly and specifically what exceptions are preventing invitations, as much as there is a need, then we are also ready to reduce those exceptions. But that clogging of exceptions, I think, is not a sustainable solution", emphasized the politician.
"And let's not forget that there are also new strategic threats. It is not only necessary to say that there is a lack of young people who want to do this, but also to motivate them. It turns out that both the army and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must be more active in schools, must be more active in spreading the idea of service and commitment to Lithuania. This proactive concept of popularizing military service is widely adopted by other countries. I would suggest that you think more about it as well," he added.
Gailė Jaruševičiūtė-Mockuvienė (ELTA)
