Less than 100 people volunteer for military service

The Defence Ministry has registered less than 100 people interested in voluntary military service just a few days before the end of the deadline for applications, informed Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš on Tuesday. According to a new law on voluntary military service, those interested have until Friday, April 15 to apply. Gajdoš admitted that he had expected higher interest. "Anyway, we're going ahead, we're ready, we have resources, a training battalion has been prepared, we have programmes," said Gajdoš. The first volunteers will be trained within the training battalion in Martin (in the Žilina region), and the minister wants to oversee the course. The Defence Ministry hoped that voluntary military service would help stop the downward trend in the number of soldiers in the Slovak army's reserve.