President of Tatarstan supports introduction of alternative service

Mintimer Shaimiev supports introduction of alternative service, but considers it necessary to approach the issue carefully. 'I support it for one simple reason. Today our republic successfully drafts for military service no more than 30 % of citizens subject to conscription. Others find various reasons to evade it or are exempt from conscription", he told the Interfax.

Thus last autumn less than 6,000 out of 18,000 young men were drafted in the republic. "The alternative service should become an obligatory norm. We should let those who due to moral or ideological motives are not ready to hold the weapon serve at civil objects, in social or industrial sphere", considers the Tatarstan President.

As for the terms of alternative service, Mintimer Shaimiev emphasized the issue requires careful analysis. He also thinks that alternative service soldiers should have an opportunity from time to time to pass initial military training in military units.