Lithuanian President, Parliament Approve Reintroducing Military Conscription

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite signed on Monday a legal amendment, which reintroduces military conscription in the country.

The bill had already been approved on Thursday with an overwhelming majority at Lithuania's Seimas with 112 MPs voting in favour, the National Radio and Television informs.

In a press release the president said that reintroduction of permanent mandatory initial service is an important step towards boosting state contingency, DELFI The Lithuania Tribune reports.

Ensuring national security, which was identified as Lithuania's key priority, necessitated the reintroduction of military conscription.

According to the legislation, up to 3500 young men should be recruited this year with the first of them to be conscripted in the autumn.

The general marginal numbers of troops will range from 16 840 to 21 960, which is a significant increase to the previously approved range of 14 340 - 18 460.

Young men between 19 and 26 will be recruited for mandatory military service with a priority for young male and female volunteers.

The conscripts will serve for nine months and after completing their service they will be provided with state guarantees for university education and employment.

The Lithuanian State Defence Council proposed in February the reintroduction of military conscription, which had been discontinued in 2008, for five years due to fears of Russian aggression in Ukraine.