Slovak Defense Ministry Says No Mobilization Planned In Country

Slovakia is not planning to mobilize its citizens, the Slovak Defense Ministry said on Wednesday, commenting on an increase in the number of refusals to do military service in the event of necessity

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd August, 2023) Slovakia is not planning to mobilize its citizens, the Slovak Defense Ministry said on Wednesday, commenting on an increase in the number of refusals to do military service in the event of necessity.

"No mobilization was and is planned in Slovakia," the defense ministry said in a statement.

The authorities said that a massive disinformation campaign had been conducted in the country in early 2023 to scare the public with alleged mobilization. The campaign led to a surge in military service refusals that the Slovak citizens filed to avoid a participation in defending the country, the statement read.

Slovak media reported in February that over 40,000 of Slovak citizens had sent their refusals to be subject to recruitment in case of mobilization in the country.

In 2022, the Slovak Defense Ministry received 1,500 such refusals and in 2021, the figure stood at only 85.

Slovakia stopped recruiting conscripts for compulsory military service in August 2005, and in 2006, the Slovak army completely switched to a system of contract service. Meanwhile, the Slovak legislation says that in case of a mobilization, people who have never served in the country's troops are also subject to an extraordinary service if their age and health conditions allow them to be on duty.