Serbia to reintroduce conscription, dismantle protest camps in Belgrade

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced the return of mandatory military service in the country, as well as the removal of tent encampments in central Belgrade following student protests.

Compulsory service will be reinstated from 2026 and will last 75 days for men aged 19 to 27, according to Serbian media outlet RTS reports.

The period includes two months of intensive training and two weeks of field exercises. Military service for women will remain voluntary. Citizens may refuse to bear arms for ideological reasons and opt for alternative civil service, which will last more than 150 days.

Vučić justified the decision as necessary to strengthen Serbia’s defence capabilities amid global instability, despite the country’s status as militarily neutral.

The announcement comes amid heightened student protests, during which young people are demanding early parliamentary elections and collecting signatures nationwide.

The protests erupted in November 2024 after a railway station canopy collapsed in Novi Sad killed 15–16 people, blamed on government corruption and negligence in infrastructure projects. They quickly escalated into the largest anti-government movement in years, spreading to over 400–500 cities/towns by mid-2025.

By Khagan Isayev