Parliament approves military service bill

PanARMENIAN.Net - At an extraordinary session convened on May 11, the National Assembly debated in first reading the package of draft laws submitted by the Government, including amendments and additions to the law «On Military Service and the Status of Servicemen» and related laws. The draft was presented by Deputy Defense Minister Arman Sargsyan.

The draft clarifies the leave periods for persons aged 27 to 37 undergoing shortened compulsory military service: those serving for one year or six months will receive 10 calendar days of leave, while no leave is envisaged for one-month service, Radar Armenia reports.

The draft proposes assigning the authority to grant deferments on educational and family grounds to military commissariats, ending that authority of regional conscription commissions.

«For servicemen performing contract service under the Defender of the Fatherland program, a new ground for terminating the contract is established: receiving five disciplinary penalties within one year. The amendments also clarify regulations on appointments to officer positions, admission to contract service and discharge from service.

A new opportunity is envisaged in the state-supported mortgage lending program for servicemen who graduated from military educational institutions and were appointed to officer positions: if there is a positive difference between the allocated amount and the value of the purchased apartment, the money may be directed to renovating the apartment,» the deputy minister said.

According to Arman Sargsyan, changes are also planned to the laws «On Defense» and «On Approving the Internal Service Regulations of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.» The authority to approve the combat flags, insignia, uniforms and rules for wearing them in the armed forces and military units will be assigned to the defense minister. At the same time, the ban on involving female servicemen in daily duty details will be removed.

A separate regulation also addresses the issue of persons aged 27-37 who have received Armenian citizenship but have not performed military service. According to Arman Sargsyan, the current regulations have created problems for persons forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh, since in many cases documents confirming service have not been preserved. The proposed amendments aim to eliminate these difficulties and clarify the process.

In the rapporteur’s assessment, the changes included in the draft are mainly improvements and technical in nature. The package of laws was discussed in advance by the relevant National Assembly committee.

Parliament adopted the package of draft laws in first reading.

The National Assembly also adopted in second reading a draft law authored by MP Hayk Sargsyan «On Amendments and Additions to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia,» which envisages tougher penalties for illegal drug trafficking.

Co-rapporteur Lilit Minasyan, a member of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, emphasized the importance of adopting the draft.

Deputy Justice Minister Gevorg Kocharyan said the Government had also proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Armenia, assigning the Police the authority to examine cases and make decisions on administrative offenses envisaged under Articles 172.3 and 183.