On the National Army Day on September 3, the Moldovan NGO Hyde Park staged a protest against mandatory military service, Info-Prim Neo reports. Ghenadie Brega, an outspoken Hyde Park member, said that only a few young men join the army voluntarily as the others are forced. Many servicemen complain that they are poorly fed and that they are forced to work in inhuman conditions at their superiors' summer houses. “We call for a more permissive law. Those who are willing to serve this military service should do it on a contractual basis. Many bad things happen in our army. For instance, we inherited 'dedovshchina' from the soviet era. Many freshly recruited young men are beaten, humiliated and otherwise ill-treated, and this is tolerated by the authorities”, said Ghenadie Brega. He went on to add that the servicemen who were subjected to ill-treatment in the army should be offered assistance, like in the case of victims of torture, and the costs should be covered by the state. The NGO Hyde Park is protesting against mandatory military service for the fifth year in a row.