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Over three-quarters of Lithuanians support introducing universal military service — survey

As many as 23% of respondents favored sticking to the existing rules, while 14.5% of those surveyed voted for a professional army without conscripts

VILNIUS, August 28. /TASS/. More than three-quarters (76%) of Lithuanian residents support the idea of introducing universal military conscription, a survey conducted by Norstat and commissioned by the Visuotine gynyba association showed.

"The idea of reviving the practice of general conscription was supported by 76.3% survey participants," association president Tomas Godliauskas said.

As many as 23% of respondents favored sticking to the existing rules, while 14.5% of those surveyed voted for a professional army without conscripts. The military cannot currently enlist all men of military age due to underdeveloped infrastructure, so Lithuania makes decisions on military recruitment based on a computerized random selection, like in a lottery.

In 2015, the Baltic republic restored compulsory military service, abolished in 2008, citing geopolitical concerns. Initially it was reinstated for a five-year period to prepare sufficient reserve troops, but parliament later decided to make conscription permanent. Politicians also propose making it universal.

The survey was conducted among 1,501 respondents earlier this month.

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