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Another European country reintroduces two-month military service requirement.
The country's Defense Minister Ivan Anusic announced last weekend that the force will be launched on January 1 next year.
The move comes amid rising tensions in Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and an apparent arms race and military buildup in the Balkans, which saw a bloody war in the 1990s.
Other European countries are considering similar measures or reinstating military service in response to rising tensions in the region.
Latvia reinstated conscription last year in response to Russia's threat of an all-out invasion of Ukraine, and Serbia, Croatia's biggest rival in the Balkans, is also considering reinstating conscription.
British military personnel train a group of Ukrainian volunteers in how to use the FGM-148 Javelin surface-to-air missile (Getty Images)
The decision marks the reinstatement of conscription, which was suspended in 2008 when the country moved to a volunteer military.
“We have increased the salaries of soldiers, NCOs and officers, we have increased their material rights through their personal income but also their daily wages and everything they are entitled to,” the minister told Croatian broadcaster RTL on Thursday.
“The modernization and equipping of the armed forces is proceeding as planned and in line with agreements with allies and NATO leaders,” he said, adding that there were no plans to save money in this area.
Earlier this year, former British Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that if the Conservative Party won the general election, national service would be mandatory for 18-year-olds.
The party did not win.
The Prime Minister argued that his plans for compulsory national service would help unite society in an “increasingly uncertain world” and give young people a “sense of common purpose”.
In an apparent appeal to older voters, Mr Sunak said volunteering could include working for local fire, police and NHS services, as well as charities tackling loneliness and supporting older and isolated people.
Rishi Sunak has announced that national service will be mandatory for 18-year-olds if the Conservative Party wins the general election. (PA Wire)
Sweden, Denmark and Norway are also among the countries that have some form of national service.
In Sweden, for example, teenagers serve in the military for nine to 15 months if they pass the necessary physical and mental tests. Around 8,000 boys and girls join each year.
In Denmark, men are required to enlist for four months but can postpone military service until they have finished their education. In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Denmark plans to extend mandatory military service to 11 months and make conscription compulsory rather than voluntary for women.
Norway's system is highly selective, with fewer than 10,000 people accepted in 2023, making it a highly competitive process for the prestigious spots, experts say.
