Active Reserves to be more attractive and better conditions for soldiers deployed on exercises abroad
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- Date: 13.03.2018
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Active reservists will exercise under more attractive conditions. This follows from the Conscription Amendment Act, which the SVK Government today passed into law. In line with the MOD-sponsored legislation, it is possible to reimburse salaries and travel costs incurred to and from regular exercises not only to employees but also to the self-employed, as well to repay the costs incurred by employers for paying premiums for social and public health insurance. Through the Conscription Amendment Act, the SVK MOD has fulfilled yet another pledge in the SVK Government Manifesto and the Slovak National Party (SNS) Manifesto.
The Amendment Act enables the soldiers in the reserves – holding the rank one below or two higher than their own rank required for the specific positions to be assigned to – to join the Active Reserves. This allows more candidates to meet the set requirements and thus qualify for transfer to the Active Reserves.
Amongst other new elements introduced are the provisions on non-attendance of active reservists at regular training and the obligation of active reservists to report changes in the conditions of their assignment to commanders. Another change is that an active reservist is entitled to a commensurate part of rank-based pay only for the period of time spent on regular training or when performing tasks in favour of the SVK Armed Forces.
At the same time, the SVK Parliamentary Plenary today passed an amendment to the Professional Soldiersʼ State Service Act, tabled by Chairman of the SNS Parliamentary Group Tibor Bernaťák. Under the new legislation, the soldiers deploying on an exercise abroad to perform their tasks for a period longer than 1 month will be entitled to a foreign [exercise deployment] allowance up to 8 times the rank-based pay of 2nd Degree Private in Pay Grade 1. Moreover, they will be entitled to free phone time, the cost of which will be borne by the SVK MOD. The legislative changes also pertain to active duty soldiers serving in Slovakia. With no time restrictions, they will be reimbursed the travel costs incurred by them in visiting their families up to a maximum of €100.
The amendment, updating the legislation on the Conscription Act, was put forward by Tibor Bernaťák during the legislative process at the Parliamentary Constitutional and Legal Committee. In practice, the amendment means that the foreign [exercise deployment] allowance will already apply to and have a positive influence on the soldiers who will be serving in the Baltics as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP).
The Amendment Act enables the soldiers in the reserves – holding the rank one below or two higher than their own rank required for the specific positions to be assigned to – to join the Active Reserves. This allows more candidates to meet the set requirements and thus qualify for transfer to the Active Reserves.
Amongst other new elements introduced are the provisions on non-attendance of active reservists at regular training and the obligation of active reservists to report changes in the conditions of their assignment to commanders. Another change is that an active reservist is entitled to a commensurate part of rank-based pay only for the period of time spent on regular training or when performing tasks in favour of the SVK Armed Forces.
At the same time, the SVK Parliamentary Plenary today passed an amendment to the Professional Soldiersʼ State Service Act, tabled by Chairman of the SNS Parliamentary Group Tibor Bernaťák. Under the new legislation, the soldiers deploying on an exercise abroad to perform their tasks for a period longer than 1 month will be entitled to a foreign [exercise deployment] allowance up to 8 times the rank-based pay of 2nd Degree Private in Pay Grade 1. Moreover, they will be entitled to free phone time, the cost of which will be borne by the SVK MOD. The legislative changes also pertain to active duty soldiers serving in Slovakia. With no time restrictions, they will be reimbursed the travel costs incurred by them in visiting their families up to a maximum of €100.
The amendment, updating the legislation on the Conscription Act, was put forward by Tibor Bernaťák during the legislative process at the Parliamentary Constitutional and Legal Committee. In practice, the amendment means that the foreign [exercise deployment] allowance will already apply to and have a positive influence on the soldiers who will be serving in the Baltics as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP).
