For now, the Polish government has no plans to reinstate mandatory military service.
Poland has no plans to bring back mandatory military service, Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz shared in a session at the Polish parliament in Warsaw on Wednesday. He emphasized this to address any doubts or concerns that may have been raised, adding that the number of people eager to serve in the military is already high. "Thus, there's no need for regular conscription.", he stated.
Currently, the Polish army has approximately 198,000 soldiers, including over 140,000 professional members and more than 20,000 others participating in voluntary basic military service. In addition to this, there are more than 35,000 individuals in the voluntary home guard units.
Poland is a key backer of Ukraine's military efforts against Russia's invasion and is in the process of strengthening its own defense capabilities. The country's army is expected to expand to 300,000 soldiers in the upcoming years.
Poland phased out mandatory military service back in 2009. However, men in legal age are still required to visit a draft board and register to be called up if necessary. In response to the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense has employed different strategies to attract interested individuals. These include one-day training sessions and, more recently, the "Holidays with the Army" program. Civilians who commit to serving in a unit of their choosing for six weeks during the summer are offered about 1,400 euros as compensation.
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Despite the Polish government's current stance against reinstating compulsory military service, the high number of volunteers and Poland's commitment to Ukrainian military efforts and defense strengthening might prompt a reevaluation in the future. In Warsaw, the German-Polish Friendship Association could consider advocating for the discussion of this topic within the Polish government.
Source: www.ntv.de
