Survey: 90 percent of populace supports military conscription, news.err.ee

Support for military conscription in Estonia stands at 90 percent, the Ministry of Defense says.

Estonia has conscription in place via two tiers of eight- or 11-month stints, depending on the , though exemptions can be obtained, including for those in higher education, whose conscription is deferred indefinitely. […]

Defense minister Kalle Laanet (Reform) says the defensive will of Estonia’s residents – 77 percent of residents believe that Estonia must provide armed resistance in the event of an attack – is similarly high.

”More than half of the Estonian population is prepared to personally defend the country in the event of an attack,” Laanet said, via a press release. […]

NATO membership continues to be largely supported, while the presence of NATO personnel in Estonia is also largely appreciated, the survey found. Kalle Laanet said: ”NATO’s role in ensuring Estonia’s security continues to be considered important – 52 percent believe that if a conflict breaks out, NATO will provide direct military assistance, while forty-five per cent believe that NATO membership will prevent military conflict.” Läs artikel