The commander of the Latvian Armed Forces allowed the introduction of compulsory conscription of women into the army

Women may begin to be involved in compulsory conscription into the Latvian State Defense Forces (SDF). This was announced on April 22 by the Commander of the National Armed Forces, Kaspars Pudans.

"At some point, we may have to return to the gender issue - the participation of women in compulsory conscription," the Delfi portal quotes him.

According to him, Latvia plans to train 4,000 soldiers annually. At the same time, Pudans clarified that in order to achieve the corresponding indicator in some specialties, health requirements will have to be reduced.

It is specified that the law on the CSO provides for the obligation of Latvian male citizens to serve within a year after reaching the age of 18, or one year after graduation from a higher educational institution, but no later than 24 years. It is noted that men and women between the ages of 18 and 27 can serve in the CDF on a voluntary basis.

According to the publication, due to the shortage of a sufficient number of conscripts, on November 26 last year, the Latvian Armed Forces were conscripted for the first time on the principle of random selection.

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Latvia is not the only European country where there is talk of the need to return or reform the conscription system. Gerold Otten, a member of the Bundestag Defense committee, in an interview with Izvestia on March 6, announced the possibility of a transition to military service in Germany. However, he clarified that this would not happen in the coming months. According to him, the procedure may take at least two years.