The Ministry of Defence still plans to move forward with the suggestion submitted to the Saeima to recruit Latvian youngsters living abroad to serve in Latvia’s National Defence Service starting from 2028.
On Tuesday, the 7th of February, Saeima’s Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee discussed if the planned National Defence Service (VAD) should apply to Latvian youngsters living abroad. The ministry’s parliamentary secretary Jānis Eglīts reported that army recruitment will apply only to youngsters who have residence declared in Latvia. «If a citizen has not sorted out his or her commitments before the state and has not declared permanent residence abroad, recruitment will apply to them. If they complete their commitments before the state and declare residence abroad, army recruitment will not apply to them,» stressed Eglīts.
This potential regulation, however, would lose any point in 2027 if the law applies only to youngsters who have declared residence in Latvia, said the parliamentary secretary. On Tuesday, Eglīts’ fellow party members voiced concerns during the meeting that some youngsters will intentionally declare their permanent residence abroad to dodge the draft.
During the Wednesday’s meeting Eglīts said that after discussions with the Ministry of Defence, concerns were analysed, which is the ministry invited deputies to support the updated redaction. Eglīts referenced the regulation from the Law on National Defence Service that provides for the use of a lottery for citizens that qualify for military service in a specific period of time.
«This section states that the lottery will apply only to Latvian citizens.
The moment we are ready to recruit to serve in the military everyone we can, it will apply to representatives of Latvian diaspora.
The year 2027 is mentioned as a safety net. Until then nothing like that will happen,» said Eglīts.
Eight members of the Saeima voted in favour of this proposal from the ministry. One Saeima deputy voted against and one more abstained in the vote. The committee also approved for the second reading VAD legislative draft and accompanying legislative drafts. The deadline for submission of proposals for the third reading is the 2nd of March.
When asked to provide more detailed comments about the proposal, the Ministry of Defence responded by saying that «the previous comment about plans to recall this proposal was part of the discussion». The committee came to the conclusion that it will be difficult to implement mandatory recruitment in the first couple of years. This is why it was suggested to expand the range of potential recruits to citizens who do not live in Latvia, the ministry explained.
The legislative draft on national defence service states that Latvian citizens will be able to choose from three forms of service: 11 months in National Armed Forces or National Guard; five years in total in the National Guard performing various service tasks with no less that 21 individual training sessions a day and no more than seven collective training days a year; or five years studying reserve officer course with total training and service term of at least 180 days.
The first voluntary recruitment wave is planned to start on the 1st of July 2023. Previously state secretary to the Ministry of Defence Jānis Garisons said in the first wave this year it is planned to recruit approximately 300 youngsters.
Also read: Though the law receives bashing, Latvia still plans to go with mandatory military service