--- title: "Moldovan cabinet prepares autumn conscription drive " url: https://radiomoldova.md/p/87570/moldovan-cabinet-prepares-autumn-conscription-drive published: 2026-10-18T10:30:00Z language: en author: "Dumitru Petruleac" section: "Social" source: radiomoldova.md --- # Moldovan cabinet prepares autumn conscription drive > Moldova plans to draft up to 1,200 young men into the National Army for mandatory military service between October 2026 and January 2027, according to a draft government decree. ![](https://storage.radiomoldova.md/images/c94d57e6-377a-417f-ad20-d2e25b069218.jpg) Moldova plans to draft up to 1,200 young men into the National Army for mandatory military service between October 2026 and January 2027, according to a draft government decree. An additional group of up to 10 recruits will enter reduced-term military service under the plan prepared by the Ministry of Defense, which is scheduled for cabinet approval on October 21. The capital city of Chisinau accounts for the largest regional quota, with 167 recruits representing roughly 14 percent of the total draft cohort. **Staged mobilization and municipal coordination** Conscription will proceed in scheduled phases coordinated by the defense ministry alongside local public administrations and territorial military centers. Local authorities will help organize the draft logistics, assign recruit quotas across municipalities and rural communities, and work with the Ministry of Health to conduct medical examinations and evaluations for all candidates. The initiative also tasks the Ministry of Education and Research with organizing educational activities to promote the civic standing of military service. The draft government decision additionally authorizes the routine discharge and transfer to the reserve force of soldiers who have completed their statutory terms of service. Execution of the decree will fall under the oversight of the head of the State Conscription Commission. **Legislative framework and defense capabilities** The draft quotas fit within the legal ceiling established by a 2001 parliamentary decision, which limits active military personnel to 6,500 troops alongside 2,000 civilian support staff financed through state funds. The defense ministry’s explanatory note emphasizes that the measure maintains a transitional hybrid staffing model that combines conscription with professional contract personnel. Defense officials stated that this dual structure will remain in place until authorities finalize the long-term strategic configuration of Moldova's national defense architecture. The ministry stated that the recurring seasonal draft involves no supplemental costs from the central budget. Territorial administrative budgets will cover the operating costs of conscription boards and initial local travel, while the Ministry of Defense will fund transport to military duty stations. **Scrutiny over defense modernization** The upcoming cabinet vote follows a classified parliamentary session held on October 8 to review the structural organization and personnel numbers of the armed forces. Lawmakers and authorized personnel attended the closed-door briefing under strict security protocols that prohibited mobile phones, laptops, and electronic devices. President Maia Sandu stated that the classified materials required secrecy to prevent sensitive military information from reaching hostile foreign states. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu said the legislative review forms an integral part of ongoing efforts to modernize national defense capabilities as regional security dynamics evolve. Opposition figures questioned the secrecy surrounding the hearing, alleging that closed-door proceedings risk fostering public concern, while government leaders maintained that protecting classified defense data remains critical to national security. Translation by **Iurie Tataru** **RELATED COVERAGE** * [Moldova launches spring conscription drive amid military modernization push]() * [Moldova approves defense plan to boost army capabilities by 65%]() * [Reservists called for training; Defense Ministry warns of fake orders]() * [Defense Minister Nosatîi: National Army at 34 is undergoing 'unprecedented' modernization]() * [Moldova Security Forum 2026: Moldova is NATO's largest defense funding recipient, aiming for strength and stability]()