Two Syrian parliamentarians call for reducing military service period

Two members of the Syrian parliament, one is Baathist, demanded the reduction of the military services in the Syrian army to one and a half years, and to concentrate on the quality rather than the quantity of the army.

This was in their comments on the Ministerial Statement of the Syrian government which was presented two weeks to the Parliament.

Al-Nour paper, the mouthpiece of the Syrian communist Party -- Youssef Faisal wing, quoted parliamentarian Abdul Qader Hanas, a Baathist for Idleb province, and parliamentarian Ghassan Nahas, an independent for Damascus governorate, calling for the reduction of the "compulsory medical service" in the Syrian army.

While Hanas called for "reducing the military service to one and a half years and to concentrate on quality, rather than quantity," Nahas called for "reduction of the military service to one and a half years " considering that this "service is a burden on the budget and is a waste of time of the young people."

Observers view the reduction of the military service as a reform effort towards eliminating the "militarization" of the society. A decision to eliminate the kaki color of school uniforms, used by the military, was met positively by the public.