The government has adopted the draft Law on paid volunteer military internship, which allows young people between 18 and 35 to follow four months of basic training, with monthly allowance and financial bonus.
Claudiu Degeratu. Photo: Eduard Enea
The government sent to the Parliament two important projects: the new law of national defense and the modification of Law 446 on the preparation of the population for defense, which introduces the paid voluntary military internship.
Both documents aim to adapt the normative framework to the status of Romania as a NATO and EU member and rejuvenate the army reserve, considered insufficient and aging.
“Adevărul” discussed with military analyst Claudiu Degeratu, an expert in national security, to understand how realistic and feasible this program is.
Claudiu Deterratu confirms that the problem of reserve is a real and urgent one. “We have a generation break for about 20 years. During this time, the Romanian army preferred to focus on the professionalization of active forces and completely ignored the reserve and the preparation of the population. The reform stopped with the professionalization and it was not continued.”he points out.
If in the states of northeast Europe, such as Poland, Baltic countries or Finland, the reserve is well prepared and supported politically, in the southeast of the continent, in states such as Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic is precarious.
“There have been significant resources there and there is a public and political support. The result is that they have a large number of active and trained reservists. We stayed behind.”explains the analyst.
A central element of the new law is the four -month -old voluntary military internship, addressed to young people between 18 and 35. The essential question is whether this period is sufficient for a basic training. Degeratu considers that, theoretically, it could be sufficient if the training is done intensively and at NATO standards. Basically, however, Romania does not have the necessary infrastructure.
“We do not have modern training centers, we do not have enough instructors, nor the financial resources to organize such an extensive program from 2026. The law is ambitious, but the implementation will last and will be difficult.”shows the expert.
Comparing the voluntary military service with the mandatory one, suspended in 2007, Degeratu emphasizes both the advantages and the limitations. “The advantage is that the volunteers will receive payments and the period is shorter. In contrast, the training is only basic, without specialization on weapons. This means that we will have reservists with a reduced combat capacity, which will have to be reinstated periodically, for a period of at least 15 years. The costs will extend, and the additional training will be inevitable.”
As for the motivation of young people, the analyst sees two directions: the financial part and the interest for a long -term military career. However, without a solid infrastructure and without an attractive career frame, participation could be lower than estimated.
In the exposition of reasons, the government states that Romania will have one of the most advanced defense laws in Europe, along with Poland. Degeratu, however, tempers the enthusiasm: “It is important to have a modern legal framework, but our problem has always been implementation. We cannot compare directly to Poland, because the resources and the political context are completely different. We must first demonstrate that the system is financially military and sustainable.”
Regarding the current risks, generated by the Ukraine war, the analyst warns that the volunteer military service has a limited ability to respond. “It is part of the solution, but without a real reform of the Romanian army will not solve the problems on the eastern flank.”
Finally, the specialist draws attention to how the program is perceived in society: “It will probably be supported in the context of the war, but it does not mean that participation will be high. Civic discipline and education cannot be transferred only to the army, they must first come from school and family. Without this understanding we risk diverting the purpose of the voluntary military service.”
Also, public communication will be essential. Degeratu requires an honest and transparent strategy, without politicization, possibly through a civil-military partnership that clearly explain the objectives and limits of the program.
His message to young people who could consider this experience is a simple one: “It is worth trying. Your family and country are close to you.”
