By the end of the 2009 summer, men in Greece will serve their military obligations for nine months, which is significantly better compared to the current twelve-month period.

Secretary of Defense Evangelos Meimarakis declared his decisiveness to shorten the military service at the Infantry by three months. The Secretary’s decision to shorten the military service to nine months will be presented to the Governmental Council of Foreign Affairs and Defense and the Governmental Commission.

It is for certain that men who have entered the military in 2009 will serve a shorter period: the ones who joined the forces in February will serve for eleven months – a month less, and all the newcomers who started this May will serve the newly introduced nine months.

Secretary Meimarakis announced that his decision to shorten the military service was dictated by the increasing number of professional soldiers and the active implementation of new technology for the armed forces. Furthermore, the decision was influenced by the change of locations of the military barracks and the new measures used for their safeguarding.

Mr. Meimarakis stated that a new plan is under development, which will revoke the military service at the Navy and the Air Force.