President decrees demobilization of troops in limited military service

The troops enrolled in the National Army and the Border Guards Service whose limited military service expired will be able to leave their barracks and go home, after Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin signed a decree to discharge them from active service and demobilize them into military reserve. Defense Ministry spokesperson Iustin Vacarescu has told Info-Prim Neo that the actual demobilization will occur in February-March 2009 and will involve troops conscripted in November-December 2008. Limited military service (which lasts 3 months, as opposed to 6 months in full military service) is compulsory for the men who have graduated from a higher education institutions. The men who do not go to universities serve full military service. Men can be exempted from military service if they complete military education courses at special institutions called military catedras ('catedră militară' in Romanian). The conscription target for the fall of 2008 was 3,000 recruit, including 1,360 in the National Army, 750 in the Border Guards Service, 820 in the Carabineer Troops. 75 troops were enrolled in limited military service.