Only 10 out of 150 thousand young men are drafted
The special operations army turned out to be the most popular – the contest was 5 people per one vacant position.
The press secretary of the Ministry of Defense Vyachaslau Ramenchyk told ERB that there were much fewer draft evaders this year. He is sure that young people do not come to the draft board not because they do not want to, but because they do not know the law well enough.
Vyachaslau Ramenchyk: More then 150 people can be drafted but there is a selection performed. The main criteria are their health and moral and psychological qualities, so we cannot draft everyone.
The contest in the special operations army was 5 people per vacancy in January. Only young men with the best health condition and best results of psychological tests could get there. ERB asked Vyachaslau Ramenchyk why call-up papers were constantly being sent to draft evaders when there was such a contest in the army.
Vyachaslau Ramenchyk: We have laws defining who should be drafted. Why do some people have to serve in the army and others don’t? That is why there is criminal responsibility for draft evasion even though we have enough draftees – we need to provide for equal protection of the law.
Moral and psychological qualities are as important as the health of draftees. A young man is asked to answer 35 questions to find out whether he is ready to serve in the army. For example, if a young man has tattoos and piercing he will be sent to the psychiatrist. The head of the Leninski District of Minsk military registration and enlistment office Іhar Sfyatkevіch told ERB that if such a guy turned out to be an adequate person he would surely be drafted.
Іhar Sfyatkevіch: We only need a conclusion of the commission proving that his health and moral condition are normal. However, if he is sent to a psychiatrist, the doctor will check his tattoos and ear and nose piercing. There are no limitations forbidding to draft people with tattoos.
Nevertheless, if a young man has a lot of tattoos and piercing he will be drafted.
The press secretary of the Ministry of Defense Vyachaslau Ramenchyk told ERB that there were much fewer draft evaders this year. He is sure that young people do not come to the draft board not because they do not want to, but because they do not know the law well enough.
Vyachaslau Ramenchyk: More then 150 people can be drafted but there is a selection performed. The main criteria are their health and moral and psychological qualities, so we cannot draft everyone.
The contest in the special operations army was 5 people per vacancy in January. Only young men with the best health condition and best results of psychological tests could get there. ERB asked Vyachaslau Ramenchyk why call-up papers were constantly being sent to draft evaders when there was such a contest in the army.
Vyachaslau Ramenchyk: We have laws defining who should be drafted. Why do some people have to serve in the army and others don’t? That is why there is criminal responsibility for draft evasion even though we have enough draftees – we need to provide for equal protection of the law.
Moral and psychological qualities are as important as the health of draftees. A young man is asked to answer 35 questions to find out whether he is ready to serve in the army. For example, if a young man has tattoos and piercing he will be sent to the psychiatrist. The head of the Leninski District of Minsk military registration and enlistment office Іhar Sfyatkevіch told ERB that if such a guy turned out to be an adequate person he would surely be drafted.
Іhar Sfyatkevіch: We only need a conclusion of the commission proving that his health and moral condition are normal. However, if he is sent to a psychiatrist, the doctor will check his tattoos and ear and nose piercing. There are no limitations forbidding to draft people with tattoos.
Nevertheless, if a young man has a lot of tattoos and piercing he will be drafted.
