Universal conscription
To give universal conscription legal force in Lithuania. Universal conscription is essential both to high-quality total defence and to stronger social inclusion. The model rests not on the armed forces’ capacity to train conscripts, but on a multi-layered system for building citizens’ skills and competences that is not limited by military resources. Such a model must be given legal force by 2030. We work on preparing the legislation and on encouraging businesses to make up the difference in pay for employees who serve.
There is currently a mistaken belief that universal conscription means everyone serving in the armed forces, which do not have the capacity to take in and train large numbers of conscripts. Universal conscription is first and foremost a system for building residents’ skills and competences, involving the armed forces, public institutions and organisations.
The association works on legislation so that such a model is drawn up and given legal force, with a date set for it to take effect. We also encourage employers to join the Average Wage initiative, under which the employer makes up the difference in pay for an employee who volunteers for service.
The average wage
One in five National Defence Volunteer Force soldiers who had considered leaving said that service was hard to combine with a permanent job; another one in ten gave low pay as the reason. A quarter of the suggestions those soldiers made for attracting more people to service concerned higher pay and additional social guarantees. The association calls on companies to make up the difference between a conscript’s pay and the average wage. The first to answer that call were Maxima and Telia.
Be part of total defence
Support the association’s work, or sign the Charter on behalf of your organisation.