Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen (Kok) barely commented on the basic and human rights dimensions of the ban on leaving the reserve.
Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen According to (kok), the ban on leaving the reserve is not on the defense policy agenda this spring, at least.
“It is not the top goal of our defense policy, but we need all Finns in one way or another for security work. As many as possible also do military service and actively participate in reservist activities,” Häkkänen tells HS.
Still on Thursday In an interview with Kyrönmaa newspaper Häkkänen said that he intends to look for ways this spring to make it no longer possible to leave the reserve.
“In general, I've found the ranks in order, and this spring I'm trying to find such a way that this kind of escape from the reserve would no longer be possible,” Häkkänen commented to the newspaper.
Häkkänen according to his own words, he did not raise the issue himself in Laihia. Häkkänen told STT earlier that he has not made any actual opening to prohibit leaving the reserve.
“If the people or the village newspaper ask a hundred questions at a public event in a smaller municipality, and one question is also like this, of course I will answer the question,” says Häkkänen.
However, according to him, it was not the first time that the number of people leaving the reserve came to the fore during his ministerial term. According to information from the Civil Services Center, about 1,650 people left the reserve last year. According to Häkkänen, this is not a significant number in terms of defense policy, but it does not mean that the matter should not be addressed.
“I find it a bit of a worrying phenomenon that if the security situation fluctuates a bit, suddenly thousands of people start to leave the reserve and say that let's leave the national defense responsibilities to the guy next door.”
“As the Minister of Defense, you cannot ignore such a matter.”
The question fundamental and human rights dimensions, Häkkänen barely comments.
“There is a lot of legal consideration involved. In any case, the civil service needs to be changed to support and serve welfare tasks,” states Häkkänen.
According to him, it should also be possible for those who left the reserve to return to the reserve.
“It can be handled a little faster. Returning to the reserve has been requested by many citizens who have thought that they want to return. It's a great job,” says Häkkänen.
DEFENSE FORCES after Häkkänen's comments, more than 150 applications for supplementary service, i.e. mandatory civil service, have been made from the reserve during Thursday and Friday.
During the whole of January, there were 255 applications.
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