The cabinet of Cyprus has proposed a law that will permit women to serve in the armed forces, right alongside the men.
While men are obligated to provide fourteen months of military service, women are exempt from it.
The bill is still pending approval from the parliament. In the meantime, Vasilis Palmas, the Minister of Defense has said to reporters that they expect to recruit women starting October.
President Christodoulides has welcomed the move, calling it one that fortifies the National Guard’s power while allowing women to make their contribution to the military. It will thus promote the National Guard as an egalitarian institution.
Right now, the Cypriot army consists of twelve thousand members, along with fifty thousand reservists who train on a regular basis.
