On October 24, 2025, the Croatian authorities adopted amendments to the laws on defense and service in the Armed Forces, which introduce compulsory basic military training from the age of 17.
Once the law comes into force, the Ministry of Defense will develop bylaws to regulate the training.
The program is aimed at young people who have not previously had the opportunity to acquire military skills. Over the past 17 years, about 300,000 people have not received any form of military training.
A key innovation is the possibility of basic military training from the age of 17.
This will allow young people to join the reserve and increase the country’s defense capability.
Those who pass the training will be automatically enrolled in the Croatian Armed Forces reserve. Each year, it is planned to recruit up to 4,000 recruits across five training streams.
The program also provides for adapting the training process to the needs of civil protection, including responses to natural disasters, man-made accidents, and humanitarian crises.
