Minister Anušić in Knin: We are ready to introduce basic military training
Minister Anušić and General Kundid visited the facilities at the “Major General Andrija Matijaš-Pauk” barracks in Knin in which basic military training will be conducted
Today, 12 March 2025, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and the Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić and the Chief of the CAF General Staff LTG Tihomir Kundid paid a working visit to the barracks in Knin.
Minister Anušić and General Kundid visited members of the CAF Guards Mechanized Brigade of the Croatian army at the “4th Guards Brigade Spiders” barracks in Knin and then toured the facilities at the “Major General Andrija Matijaš-Pauk” barracks in Knin, in which basic military training will be conducted. Reflecting on what was seen, Minister Anušić pointed out: “Today, here in Knin, at the ‘Major General Andrija Matijaš-Pauk’ barracks, we convinced ourselves again that the Croatian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence are fully prepared for the introduction of basic military training,” and added that an Act is currently being awaited, which should soon be in public consultation and adopted by the Croatian Parliament. “According to the plan, the first conscripts should report for basic military training at the beginning of October, and it will be conducted in Knin, Slunj and Požega,” he said. Speaking about the financial part, Minister Anušić said: “The cost per generation of conscripts will be four million euros, and there will be five generations in total throughout the year, which means that we are talking about an amount of about 20 million euros in total annual costs for basic military training.”
Minister Anušić also presented an assessment of the potential: “When we talk about men, young men who turn 18, there are between 18,000 and 19,000 of them annually. Girls are not obligated, but surely, as they have come for voluntary training, we believe that they will continue to sign up in the same number, which is about 15% of the total number of conscripts. We cannot estimate how many of them will invoke conscientious objection, but we expect from 4,000 to 5,000 conscripts per year. There must not be less than 5,000 of conscripts, but I believe that there will be more because the benefits we have provided for those who will decide to undergo two months of basic military training will certainly be a motivating factor.”
General Kundid commented the concept of basic military training that will be conducted through seven areas and said: “This concerns the area of the use of personal weapons, tactics of movement on the battlefield, reaction on the battlefield, communication, protection, military service and physical training. So, after eight weeks of training, conscripts will acquire knowledge and skills that are fundamentally related to military service, as well as the necessary competencies for performing military duties within each military unit,” General Kundid said.
He also pointed out that after completing basic military training, conscripts acquire the right to directly apply for active duty military service and said: “Those who do not sign up will be assigned to the classified reserve in the context of the training plan, and defence of the territory of the Republic of Croatia respectively. The reserve component has an exceptionally important meaning. This is the main reason why basic military training was initiated.”
