The intention of the government to increase the military service to 12 months was announced from Thassos by the Minister of National Defense Nikos Panagiotopoulos.

"Not just excellent students go to the army , everyone goes," the Education Minister said on Monday, while he himself had used the 720/70 beneficial decree of the dictatorship, to forsake military service as being born in Constantinople in order to study abroad. This issue has caused tremendous uproar from the opposition.

The extension of military service under a professional salaried relationship, something like the MOMA units of old (engineer battalions used for civic projects) was announced Tuesday morning by Minister of Defense Panos Kammenos talking to Mega TV.