The police will stop issuing individual invitation sheets to reservists for National Guard service, under a decision taken by Police chief Themistos Arnaoutis on Thursday.

The change ends a process in which police officers were responsible for finding and delivering the documents to reservists.

Under the previous system, officers at local police stations notified reservists in their area to collect the papers, which required them to report for military exercises with their units.

The arrangement had drawn repeated criticism from police union members in recent years, who argued that officers already carried increased duties and should not be responsible for matters concerning the military.

A directive sent to all heads of police departments states that the police will phase out issuing the papers for a transitional period of six months, limited to crossing points, airports and ports.

This arrangement remains in place until February 28, giving the army time to find an alternative solution.

From that date, the responsibility of police officers to serve the documents will cease entirely.

Until then, members of the police had been tasked with delivering the papers to reservists who avoided receiving them, a provision that will no longer apply once the transitional period ends.