Anušić: Soldiers cannot have shoulder-length hair, military service is not an excursion

“Conscripts will have to have a proper haircut,” said Defense Minister Ivan Anušić on Monday after a commemoration for the fallen and missing Croatian defenders and civilians in the defense of Laslov, saying that "a soldier cannot have shoulder-length hair," and military service "is not an excursion."

Speaking about the rules that will apply when serving two months of basic military training, Ivan Anušić confirmed that the long-standing standard of neat and short military hairstyles is not being abolished.

“They will have to have their hair cut, but not to zero. They cannot have shoulder-length hair and be in the army,” he said, emphasizing that these are minimal, practical and safety requirements. Long hair, or a beard, pose a problem in everyday military activities and in combat conditions, but also in hygiene and wearing equipment.

“A soldier must look neat and appropriate. This is the foundation of discipline, and discipline is the foundation of the army. This is not an excursion,” said Anušić.

Commenting on the concert by Marko Perković Thompson in Zagreb and the announcement of a ban on the second concert, planned for December 28, announced by Mayor Tomislav Tomašević, Anušić said that this is a form of discrimination against artists.

“I see no reason to prevent someone from holding a concert today, especially someone whose performances have been visited by half a million people so far.” He assessed Tomašević's decision as politically motivated, adding that Croatian veterans did not fight for such bans.

“The city of Zagreb needs to first get rid of waste, traffic jams and arrange public spaces. When Zagreb looks like a European city, clean and tidy, then we can move on to higher levels of politics,” said Anušić, telling the Zagreb authorities that they have no right to teach lessons from history, patriotism or fascism.

He also pointed out that the defenders listened to numerous musical hits during the Homeland War, including "Bojna Čavoglave" (Čavoglave Battalion), which he still considers one of the recognizable songs of that time.

“That is the song with which we fought battles and defended Croatia in 1991. No one who experienced the Homeland War will forget that song,” he said, mentioning songs by other performers, including Zlatni Dukati and Josipa Lisac with the song "Sloboda i mir" (Freedom and Peace).

Source: HRT