Austria to extend military service amid Ukraine war

VIENNA — Austria's coalition government plans to extend mandatory military service from six months to nine months as it adapts to a changing security environment following Russia's war in Ukraine, it said on Monday.

Austria's neutral armed forces have traditionally focused on civil protection duties, assisting emergency services during natural disasters such as floods and wildfires, as well as conducting border patrols to intercept illegal migrants rather than preparing for conventional military threats.

For years, Austria has been working to strengthen and modernize its military capabilities, with authorities warning that the country's armed forces would struggle to defend against a serious attack by an external power.

"The security conditions have changed fundamentally in the past years, months and weeks. The dream of a lasting peace in Europe shattered at the latest with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine," Chancellor Christian Stocker said during a press conference at a military barracks outside Salzburg.

Stocker said new threats, including hybrid attacks and cyberwarfare, have emerged and require Austria to improve its ability to protect itself and its population.

"These developments show clearly that Austria must take charge to a greater extent of its own capabilities for self-reliance and protection of the population," he said.

Austria is surrounded by eight countries, most of which are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It shares borders with Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Italy and Slovenia to the south, and Slovakia and Hungary to the east. Its western neighbors, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, are not NATO members.

Currently, Austrian men typically choose around their 18th birthday between military service and a nine-month civilian alternative, where they often work in institutions such as ambulance services or retirement homes.

The government also plans to allow voluntary extensions of civilian service by two months.

Under the proposed changes, Austria would adopt a reservist model requiring former conscripts to complete additional military training exercises within 10 years after their initial service. The government also plans incentives to make military service more attractive, including additional vacation days and nearly doubling monthly pay to 1,000 euros ($1,140).

However, implementing the reforms will require approval from two-thirds of parliament. The coalition government will need support from either the opposition Greens or the far-right Freedom Party, with negotiations yet to begin.

($1 = 0.8794 euros)

-Reporting by Francois Murphy in Vienna; Editing by Bill Berkrot/Reuters