A referendum will be held in Austria on the extension of mandatory military service from six to eight months, Prime Minister Christian Stocker said.
Štoker said that the result of the vote will be “binding for the political parties and the Government”, the DPA agency reported.
Last week, the expert commission proposed extending basic military service from six to eight months, combined with an additional two months of mandatory training for reservists.
Austria is not a member of the NATO alliance, and defense experts have warned that the country’s armed forces currently suffer from major shortcomings.
Austria has a professional army and reserve forces with around 50,000 soldiers available for mobilization in case of crisis.
Austria still requires all men to do military service when they turn 18. They have the right to opt for civil service instead.
