On Tuesday, 6 September, Latvia’s government reviewed a report and supported the introduction of a National Defence Service (VAD).
The government approved the introduction of VAD for men aged 18 to 27 and voluntary service for women from 2028 onward to ensure the widest possible enlisting of citizens into VAD under the principle of equality for citizens to participate in national defence.
Ministers also supported the suggestion listed in the report for a gradual adoption of VAD between 2023 and 2027 with the first draft to happen in January 2023.
It is planned for the minister of defence to submit to the government legislative draft projects necessary for successful introduction of VAD in the country.
Along with the report regarding the National Defence Service the ministry also submitted several accompanying legislative drafts.
According to one of them, VAD is to take eleven months within the National Armed Forces or the National Guard. An alternative service includes no less than five years in the National Guard, which will require recruits to carry on their duties in no less than 21 individual training operations and no less than seven collective training days a year.
Citizens will be able to replace military service with state civil service, which is regulated by the State Civil Service Law if their political, religious or political beliefs or health state do not allow them to serve in the military.
As for registration and conscription, the legislative draft states that an institution under the Ministry of Defence is to be provided free online access to the personal register, the penalties register, disability information system, state education information system and Latvian E-health system for acquisition of information about potential conscripts, their education, profession, family, criminal record and health.
Men between the ages of 18 and 27 yeas will be conscripted into service. Voluntary service is planned for women between the ages of 18 and 27.
The state of health of conscripts will be determined by their assigned general practitioner. A second health evaluation will be performed if the initial health check comes out saying the conscript is unfit for military service.
Psychological evaluation and general fitness will be performed by a department of the Ministry of Defence.
Once the evaluation procedure is over and the conscript’s fitness for VAD or alternative service, or rejection will be made. There are three possible outcomes:
VAD conscription, detailing the place of service and arrival time to commence service;
Postponing conscription for a certain amount of time.
Rejection for VAD if the conscript is deemed unfit for military service.
Rejection is possible for the following categories of Latvian citizens:
Citizens whose health does not meet specific requirements;
Citizens who are studying at a state-licensed secondary or vocational education institution;
Citizens with a criminal record involving severe crimes;
Citizens who are either suspects or the accused in criminal proceedings;
Citizens who were found guilty of a severe or especially severe crime or the criminal proceedings against which were terminated;
Citizens found guilty of a crime, except for a serious or particularly serious crime, if the conviction has not been removed or extinguished in accordance with the procedure established by law.
Citizens who are sole parents of a child, citizens whose service in VAD is replaced with state civil service, and citizens who have double citizenship and who have served in the military or civil service of other countries will not be conscripted.
Citizens who have done no less than three years in professional military service will not be conscripted Graduates of Colonel Oskars Kalpaks Vocational Secondary School will not be conscripted either.
It is planned that VAD troops will be allowed to receive compensation for service. Each VAD trooper will receive the inventory necessary for their service.
The legislative draft states each conscript and VAD trooper will be personally responsible for making sure change of residence, departure from the country or other unforeseen circumstances are no obstacles for VAD.
When leaving the country for a period longer than six months, conscripts will have to write a notification to a department of the Ministry of Defence, informing them of his or her absence.
Conscripts that live in other countries will have to return to Latvia before they reach the age of 26 and sign up for VAD at a department of the Ministry of Defence responsible for processing conscripts.
The ministry will pay social insurance contributions for VAD troops in accordance with the Law State Social Insurance.
If a person dodges or fails to arrive after receiving a notification from a department of the Ministry of Defence, this person will receive a warning or a fine of up to EUR 50.
Failure to arrive without a justified reason, conscripts will be fined an amount up to EUR 75.
If avoidance from military service lasts longer than ten days or if the conscript is found to have caused self-harm, simulate an illness, forge documents or otherwise mislead authorities in an attempt to dodge the draft, criminal liability may be applied.
Amendments prepared by the Ministry of Defence for the Criminal Law provide deprivation of freedom for up to three months for active attempts to dodge the draft.