Bulgaria's last group of young men serving an obligatory military service term was discharged on Sunday, clearing the road for a wholly professional army.

"For Bulgaria's future generations, the obligatory military service will be a thing of the past, but for you it is a school in manliness," said Defense Minsiter Vesselin Bliznakov at the official ceremony in Sofia, which was also attended by Staff General Zlatan Stoykov.

Bulgaria has reached the end of the procedure for turning its army into a professional one, part of the government's army modernization strategy in line with NATO and EU requirements.

From next year on, young men won't be drafted to serve up to 18 months in preparation for joining the troops should the need arise.

The mandatory military service has always been quite a pain for Bulgaria's boys and a great incentive to get into college, for they could not be drafted while they were studying in college or university. Those who didn't continue with their education right after high-school, however, knew that they'd be drafted the very same year.

With the abolishment of the mandatory military service and the introduction of a completely professional army, Bulgaria is looking for ways to attract more youngsters to a military career, including higher paychecks.

The country introduced the obligatory military service in 1880 with the adoption of the law for drafting young men for the army.