ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT INTENDS TO IMPOSE A FINE FOR MILITARY SERVICE EVASION

PanARMENIAN.Net - The bill on compulsory collection of payments from citizens, who have not served in the army since September 1999 till January 2002, has been submitted to the National Assembly. The bill was drafted by the Parliamentary Commission for Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs and precedes the Law "On alternative military service", which is to be submitted to the National Assembly in the near future. The document includes 6 paragraphs. Thus, according to the bill, citizens, who did not serve in the army, are to pay a sum equal to 40 minimum monthly wages (minimum monthly wage in Armenia makes approximately 10 USD) for each call-up. The persons liable for call-up, who had not served in the army and were exempted from it later will have to pay the same amount. Compulsory payments equal to 30 minimum wages will be paid by citizens who had not served in the army and had two children later. Citizens with three children, as well as those with two motherless ones are exempted from all the payments. Persons liable to military service who did not serve in the army and have wives with the 1st and 2nd disability groups are to pay sums equal to 30 minimum wages. Prosecution of the citizens, who observe the requirements of the bill, will be stopped. They will receive serviceman's identity cards and will be reserved. In case of refusal to pay the fine, the person will be called to account in accordance with the law. The compulsory payments will be transferred to a special account, opened for that purpose at the Defense Ministry.