1,600 conscripts to be drafted in August-September

Paulauskas provided the figures to the journalists after Wednesday’s closed sitting of the National Security and Defence Committee.

At the sitting, members of the Seimas were informed about the manning of units of the Armed Forces, the structure of the active reserve, training and readiness of the reserve and preparation to shift to mandatory initial military service. Members of the committee also discussed amendments to the Law on Military Conscription and proposals of the committee.

According to the chairman, all people of draft age are included in a register. A certain formula will be applied and 6 lists based on certain regions will be created from the register. Conscripts will be drafted afterwards, taking into account all legal amendments and exemptions from the military service. Men aged 19-26 years will be drafted, whereas only those studying in higher education establishments and those subject to certain social guarantees proposed by MPs will be exempt from the draft.

Moreover, the committee decided that a working group will be established together with representatives of the Ministry of National Defence. It will prepare an integrated draft law in which individual amendments proposed by MPs will be either included or disregarded. According to Paulauskas, there are many proposals at the moment, the project will be prepared and discussed next Wednesday by the National Security and Defence Committee. Afterwards it will be submitted to the consideration of the Seimas.