It is designed to replace the 24-month compulsory military service term for privates with the 18-month service term, extending it to citizens drafted for compulsory military service after January 1, 2026. The recruitment of the armed forces within the framework of the 2025 winter conscription will begin from 7 January 2026, as a result of which citizens drafted for compulsory military service starting from the 2025 winter conscription will serve for 18 months. The reduction in the term of service will not apply to servicemen in compulsory military service as of January 1, 2026. This was stated by the RA Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan at the RA NA regular sitting on December 4.
The parliament debated in the first reading the draft law on Amending the RA Law on Military Service and Servicemen.
According to the main rapporteur, the reduction in the term of compulsory military service for privates has become possible thanks to the ongoing work carried out in recent years to increase and expand the attractiveness of contractual military service.
The Minister answered the MPs’ questions, referring to the non-retroactivity of the law and issues related to vacation days designed during the 18-month service. He spoke about the Defender of the Fatherland programme and steps aimed at increasing the attractiveness of military service.
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The Chair of the Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan noted that the Committee had a substantive debate on the draft and reached the decision in the context of reforms implemented in the army. He informed that the Committee endorsed the draft law. Andranik Kocharyan called on to vote in favour of the draft.
The deputies made speeches related to the draft, highlighting the programmes aimed at increasing the attractiveness of military service, reforms being implemented in the system, and addressing the existing problems.
The Head of the Armenia Faction Seyran Ohanyan presented his observations on the concept of “defensive army” during the speech on behalf of the Faction.
In a speech on behalf of the RA NA Civil Contract Faction, the Secretary of the Faction Artur Hovhannisyan emphasized that reforms being carried out in the army are being implemented thanks to peace, which will make the development of the Republic of Armenia unstoppable.
In their final speeches, Andranik Kocharyan and Suren Papikyan touched upon the issues and observations raised during the speeches.
RA NA
