The University of Cyprus is ready to offer places in 2017 to conscripts who are eligible for early release from the army after the decision to reduce conscription from 24 months to 14 months, said Dean Constantinos Christofides.
The decision to reduce the conscription term has thrown the army’s system into disarray, but the university is prepared to accept the soldiers who have university places and who will be out of the army 10 months earlier than originally planned.
A special office has been set up in the National Guard to manage the changes.
Not everyone will benefit from the reduced term, which is applicable from 2016 onwards; those who were drafted in 2014 and 2015 will have to serve the full 24 months.
Conscription in the army is mandatory because technically the country is still at war with Turkey, but the armed services here have decided to upgrade their facilities and hire professional soldiers. Most people believe that the 24 months as too long because young men miss out on at least two years when they could have been getting an education. Unlike some professional armies, the Cyprus National Guard doesn’t offer educational programmes outside the usual army duties of defence and attack, meaning that those who can offer other important skills have little to do but sit around and smoke cigarettes.
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