"17-year-old
youths will be included in the list of conscripts, 18-22-year-old boys will be
conscripted, and their service will last from three to nine months.
On Thursday, the
Seimas approved the so-called conscription reform, 85 MPs voted for it, three
were against, and 14 abstained.
Dainius Gaižauskas,
the representative of the "Valstiečių" faction, said that the faction
abstained from the amendments because it believes that the expansion of
conscription and universal conscription are too early, in addition to the fact
that Lithuania is carrying out many other expensive projects in the field of
national defense. According to him, we should talk about general conscription in
five to ten years.
Conservative Paulius
Saudargas claimed that the changes are necessary, they are balanced, and the
planned exceptions are correct.
"Without
expanding this reserve, I don't see how we can deter anyone," he emphasized.
Prime Minister
Ingrida Šimonytė said that the new wording of the law allows combining the
professional army with conscription.
"One of the most
important things about this law is that we have a principle that applies to
everyone, no matter what family you come from, no matter who your parents are,
no matter who you are, you have the same duty. And, frankly, in those societies
where it is applied, it is a very, very great school for young people, a great
social elevator, as we know from the example of Israel, it is also a great
foundation for a modern economy," she said.
According to the
adopted changes, young people aged 18-22 who have finished school will be
called up for military service. At the moment, guys aged 18-23 are being
drafted.
Persons wishing to
perform voluntary service could do so between the ages of 18 and 39.
According to the
adopted amendments, boys who have reached the age of 17 will have to contact
the institution of the national defense system that administers conscription no
later than within one month and submit the necessary documents and data to
maintain communication - e-mail address, address of the actual place of
residence and telephone number.
17-year-olds who have
entered the list of conscripts will have to undergo a health check, and if they
are fit, they will go to serve only after they turn 18.
The law also provides
for the possibility to perform the service for those who want to, but cannot be
called up due to their health condition. The length and form of their service
will be decided by the army commander.
During the
consideration of the changes, a lot of discussion was caused by questions about
the possibility of deferring service while studying in higher education.
The Ministry of National
Defense has proposed that studying should no longer be treated as an exception
allowing the postponement of service, but this was not approved.
For guys who entered
higher education before being included in the annual list of conscripts,
mandatory initial military service can be postponed once for one study period
on an individual basis.
In addition, on
Thursday, the Seimas approved the proposal of the members of the Laisvė faction
that students would have the opportunity to postpone their service for another
nine months after bachelor's and master's studies, during which
individuals would have the opportunity to prepare for admission to higher-level
studies.
The National Security
and Defense Committee of the Seimas (NSGK) did not support this proposal.
According to the
committee, a situation would arise in which conscripts who have acquired
specialties would not be called up for service, as well as those who do not
continue higher education after graduation, and the proposed service
postponement period is, in NSGK's opinion, "obviously too long".
The changes also
provide for the differentiation of regular service according to the duration -
young people would have the opportunity to serve for three, six or nine months.
High school students
would perform their service by participating in Junior Officer Command training
or by joining the National Defense Volunteer Force, thus combining it with
studies. They could also suspend their studies and perform regular service.
The Seimas also
extended the duration of alternative service from ten to 12 months.
The adopted reform,
if signed by the president, will enter into force in stages - from July of this
year until the beginning of 2026.
The Minister of
National Defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas has emphasized that the proposed changes
are not universal mandatory conscription. According to him, they will only
allow more young people to be called up for military service.
Last week, after the
presentation, the Seimas approved the amendments, which provide that the limit
number of conscripts would be increased, it would reach from 4,240 to 7,040.
The army estimates
that up to 7,000 young men graduate every year and are fit enough to serve.
The plans to reform
conscription into the army were announced last February, and the draft laws
providing for the reform were registered in August and December and approved by
the Government.
Currently, about
4,000 soldiers are conscripted into the Lithuanian army every year.”
Comment
jjjj
"This is
discrimination against men on the basis of gender in the right to pursue higher
education. While the ladies will be studying, the men will be washing toilet balls in the barracks.
The problem is that,
for example, in Israel, both men and women go to serve, and we will have a
special caste of women who will gain a competitive advantage in education and
later in the work field over their former male classmates. And that is
discrimination."
Who cares. Led by Grandson, we will all die fighting a
nuclear-armed China, go to heaven and get 72 virgin women each. Then we will
make up for it. And there is nothing for us to be interested in this world,
nothing good will happen anyway, our women don't even give birth to children
now. They care mostly about not very fair or clean ways to get ahead in their work places. Anything goes.
Komentarų nėra:
Rašyti komentarą