Tadić calls announcement of return of compulsory military service in Serbia populism

(Patria) - The Social Democratic Party (SDS) stated today that it is against the announcement of the return of compulsory military service in Serbia.

In the SDS, they assess that this decision was announced exclusively for populist reasons, and not for actual security needs.

The statement notes that such a decision cannot be made without a broad public debate, as it entails political, economic and security consequences.

"We are absolutely against this decision, and the very announcement of the return of military service lasting four months is proof of the government's true intentions.

The announced duration of military service clearly indicates that such a decision is not motivated by actual security needs, but by pure populism and dangerous play with the militarization of our society," stated SDS leader Boris Tadić in a written statement.

He adds that military training has neither security nor economic justification if it does not last at least nine months, and that the problems facing Serbia's defense system are certainly not solved by returning compulsory military service.

"Such announcements have already become a tradition of this government, as we have them almost every year and they are used for political marketing purposes, just like regular presentations of new military equipment.

Renewal of military equipment is always necessary if strategically planned, but not in a marketing and populist way as is the case in Serbia in the last decade," said Tadić.

According to his words, this is especially meaningless in circumstances when military personnel are being squandered and the army and its defensive power are essentially being devastated.

"Even the best and most modern military equipment is useless when there is no one to use it, just as investment in hospital buildings is useless while the state systematically sends medical staff abroad, which is why there is no one to treat our citizens," Tadić points out.

He also emphasized that the regime, with this announcement, is trying in a completely senseless way to compensate for the lack of human resources in the army, instead of finally dealing with that fundamental military issue in a planned manner.