That's what it costs us

Conscription would cost the budget billions

Conscripts are in high demand, but they still too often "disappear" as so-called system maintainers in the kitchen and officers' mess.(Bild: P. Huber)

The true costs of extending conscription are likely to be higher than previously assumed. The total burden would be significantly higher than the reported €600 million per year! The "Krone" newspaper has done the math and analyzed the situation with an expert. 

The debate about conscription in Austria is heating up – and this time it's not just about security policy arguments or the confusion surrounding a referendum, but the naked truth about the costs. According to model calculations by the "Krone," an extension of basic military service—for example, an extension from six to eight months plus more intensive militia exercises—would not only cost the state up to 600 million euros per year directly in the budget.