Slovenia

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Previous reports: 2023/24




Conscription currently imposed? No

Suspended 2003.

Could be reinstated in war time.
Conscientious objection first recognised 1991 Military Service Act, No. 18/1991
CO release of professional soldiers – No specific provisions
Minimum recruitment age 18
Population 1
Total % males 15-19 Thus approx. annual cohort reaching 18
2,097,893 2.5% 10,489
Armed forces
Total strength Of which conscripts Compared to annual cohort above
6,200 – Total strength is 59.1% of cohort
Military expenditure
$ (% change from 2023) Per capita % of GDP
952m (+2.1%) $449 1.3%

Principal EBCO concerns

  • It is unclear whether Slovenia recognises the right to conscientious objection for professional soldiers.

  • Military-themed summer camps are organised by the Armed Forces for underage pupils and students.

Developments

In February 2024, then Defence Minister Marjan Šarec described talks about reintroduction of conscription as “absolutely premature” even though he confirmed that it was an option under discussion.2 In October his successor, Borut Sajovic, similarly stated that “for the time being”, military service should primarily be a “voluntary personal decision”.3

Conscription provisions and procedures

Conscription was abolished in 2003. Article 123 paragraph 1 of the Constitution reads “Participation in the national defence is compulsory for citizens within the limits and in the manner provided by law”.4

Conscientious objection provisions and procedures

The right to conscientious objection is recognised in Article 46 of the Constitution, “Conscientious objection shall be permissible in cases provided by law where this does not limit the rights and freedoms of others” and Article 123 paragraph 2 “Citizens who due to their religious, philosophical, or humanitarian convictions are not willing to perform military duties, must be given the opportunity to participate in the national defence in some other manner”.5

Voluntary recruitment

Citizens aged under 30 can take up voluntary military service which lasts 13 weeks. It comprises three stages: a 5-week boot camp, after which individuals will qualify for strategic army reserve, followed by 6 weeks of follow-up training for reserve forces, and a final training for those wishing to become professional soldiers.6

Conscientious objection during and after military service

It is unclear whether Slovenia recognises the right to conscientious objection for professional soldiers.

Asylum for conscientious objectors

No information was available.

Militarisation of the education system

Since 2005, the Armed Forces have been organising the military-themed summer camp “MORS in mladi” which can be attended by underage students, or pupils who are finishing primary school in the current year. In Slovenia, primary schools are typically attended by ages 6-15, while secondary schools by ages 15-19.

The activities in the summer camp include learning the “soldier's movement on the battlefield”, “weapons demonstration” and shooting with “laser pistol and rifles”, “air rifles” and “small calibre rifles”.7

  1. Population and armed forces figures are derived from The Military Balance 2025, published by the international Institute for Strategic Studies; military expenditure figures are estimates published by SIPRI (The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) in April 2025. ⤴
  5. Ibid.⤴