Defence: Slovaks Who Rejected Non-existent Mobilisation Receive Letters

Bratislava, August 2 (TASR) - Slovaks who filed declarations rejecting extraordinary military service are currently receiving decisions in writing from the relevant authorities, and in most cases the applications are being accommodated, with citizens who could potentially have been called up for war-time duties being reassigned for alternative services, TASR was told by Defence Ministry spokesperson Maria Precner on Wednesday. By filing the declarations, many people were seeking to avoid potential participation in the active defence of the state following a disinformation campaign in early 2023 designed to scare them with alleged military mobilisation, said the ministry. However, by filing their declarations, they won't have military duty rescinded but will only be reassigned to a different form of service aimed at contributing to the potential defence of Slovakia. "We've already warned about this, which only goes to underline the vulnerability of our society when it comes to verifying and selecting information. Despite efforts by the authorities to keep the public informed, many citizens have succumbed to fake news and propaganda without checking the facts," said Defence Minister Martin SKlenar. Sklenar reiterated that no military mobilisation is planned in Slovakia. In an effort to prevent the spreading of further disinformation, the ministry has released a list of FAQs on its website along with an e-mail address to which people can send questions. mf/df