Instead, the army in the European Union and NATO candidate country will be fully professional, with an estimated force of 16,000 career soldiers, state news agency Hina reported after a parliament session.
The government, which proposed abolishing compulsory military service earlier this week, said the move would not affect the combat readiness of its troops, as it still had some 750,000 reservists at its disposal.
However, the government will be able to reinstate compulsory draft in case of war, Hina said.
Croatia, a former Yugoslav republic of 4.4 million people, has been gradually downsizing its army and shortening the compulsory service duration since the end of its 1991-95 war of independence.
In recent years, it also allowed youngsters to serve in civilian institutions instead of in the army. In most other Balkan countries, including the biggest one, Serbia, compulsory service is still in force.
Croatia expects to be invited to join NATO next year.
Archivo:Croatian soldiers.JPG|thumb|Soldados croatas en Sinj.



La República de Croacia abolió oficialmente el servicio militar obligatorio este 1 de enero de 2008, que había estado vigente desde que formó parte de la República Federal Socialista de Yugoslavia, y siguió los mismos pasos que su vecino, Bosnia y Herzegovina, que hizo lo mismo el 1 de enero de 2006.

Los cambios ocurren rápidamente en un intento de Croacia para ser invitada a formar parte de la OTAN en abril de 2008. El parlamento croata aprobó los cambios el 4 de octubre pasado, desviándose del plan inicial de profesionalizar el ejército para 2010. Con estas medidas, el Ministro de Defensa croata pretende aumentar las posibilidades de ser invitada a la OTAN.