The draft proposes to raise the attractiveness and interest of turning into contractual military service in accordance with the programme for 2021-2026, as well to create preconditions for the development of the professional contractual military service: the RA Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan said during the debate of the draft law on Making Amendments and Addenda to the law on Military Service and the Serviceman’s Status at the sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security on November 14.
As the Minister assured, a new system of turning from rank-and-file and officers’ military into contractual military service in the service venue and conditions mentioned by the Ministry and instead of the rank-and-file compulsory military service and a short-term compulsory military service procedure of the rank-and-file will be introduced.
“The Homeland Defender’s program designs a possibility of turning into contractual military service by the order established by the government after the first six months of the rank-and-file and officers’ compulsory military service, setting the service term five years, as well as because of terminating the contract term or health state being recognized unfit while releasing earlier from the service term, setting right to receiving honorarium for them. The amount of the honorarium is designed to set 5 million AMD, which will be spent freely,” Suren Papikyan said.
The process will be regulated by the decision of the Government but not by the order of the RA Ministry of Defense.
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The activity of the program I AM will be terminated by the Homeland Defender’s program. Two servicemen continue the military service by the program I AM at this moment. The 36-month term of their service terminated in January 2023.
Suren Papikyan also informed that in the near future new legislative initiatives of the sphere improvement will be presented. “The basis of the reforms and the goal is the contractual military service,” the RA Minister of Defense documented.
According to the Deputy Chair of the Committee Armen Khachatryan, an unprecedented draft law will be presented. He expressed confidence that the results will be quick and predictable. “The bill is connected with the rise of defensiveness,” he said. Armen Khachatryan also emphasized the other reforms implemented in the last months in the sphere.
As the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan assured, it is one of the most important drafts included in the package of the army reforms, which is aimed at the development and modernization of the army.
The Committee members highly appreciated the reforms being implemented in the sphere of defense.
As a result of debate, the legislative initiative was endorsed.
The draft law was considered urgent by the decision of the Government.
The issue will be proposed to be included in the draft agenda of the regular sitting of the National Assembly beginning on November 15.
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
