Slovak minister proposes conscription, fears territorial threat from Hungary

Slovakia’s Sports and Tourism Minister, Rudolf Huliak, has proposed the reintroduction of compulsory military service for 18-year-olds. Under the plan, all young adults would undergo at least three months of training, not in barracks, but at locations near their place of residence.

Current size of the Slovak Armed Forces

The Slovak Armed Forces (Ozbrojené sily Slovenskej republiky), the country’s official military body established in 1993, joined NATO in 2004. Today, the army comprises approximately 23,350 uniformed professional soldiers. Slovakia abolished conscription in 2006.

The military is primarily composed of ground and air forces, with the former made up of two mechanised infantry divisions, and the latter including fighter jets alongside assault and transport helicopters. Slovakia plans to take part in several international military exercises in 2025 and is also investing significantly in modernising its armed forces.

Dreams of greater Hungary

Huliak justified the need to bolster national defence by pointing to the ongoing war in neighbouring Ukraine, incidents of Russian drones flying into Polish airspace, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s comments regarding a ‘Greater Hungary’.

“There is a war raging beyond our borders, Russian drones are entering Poland, and a neighbouring country’s prime minister is fantasising about a larger Hungary. A state that cannot defend its borders has no right to exist,” Huliak stated at a press conference in Bratislava on 11 September.

This marks the first time a Slovak government member has publicly alluded to possible territorial claims by Viktor Orbán.

Debate over defence and the Swiss model

Huliak called for political, military and public discussions on the proposal. Acknowledging the potential financial burden amid fiscal consolidation efforts, he argued the measure is necessary. He envisions a citizen-based military modelled after Switzerland’s. It remains unclear whether the coalition government has yet debated the initiative. The Defence Ministry currently offers a voluntary training programme, which shares some characteristics with the proposed plan.

Air defence sparks political disputes

Recent events have intensified the debate, including Russian drones landing inside Poland: a scenario President Peter Pellegrini described as “extremely dangerous”. Slovakia, he remarked, is currently “naked and barefoot” in the face of such threats.

Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák blamed the previous government for handing over MiG-29 fighter jets and the S-300 air defence system to Ukraine. Former minister Jaroslav Naď countered by accusing the current leadership of failing to deploy the German-supplied MANTIS drone-defence systems.

Kaliňák rejected the claim, stating that the systems are indeed operational but cover only small areas and suffer from technical issues.

Historical context: From Trianon to Slovak-Hungarian friendship

References to ‘Greater Hungary’ remain a sensitive topic in Slovak public discourse. The Hungarian government has periodically utilised pre-Trianon maps. Orbán drew international criticism in 2022 after appearing at a football match wearing a scarf depicting such a map, according to Kárpáthír.

Nevertheless, the prime ministers of the two countries enjoy close relations, with Orbán referring to his Slovak counterpart as both a friend and a close ally on numerous occasions.

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