ArmInfo. Hayk Sargsyan, a member of the National Assembly of Armenia from the ruling Civil Contract faction, has developed a bill allowing evaders of military service aged 27 to 37 to avoid criminal prosecution by serving in the army or by transferring money to the state budget. The Standing Commttee on Defense and Security of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia issued a positive conclusion on the amendments submitted by the MP to the law "On military service and the status of military personnel".
According to Sargsyan, the project will allow citizens aged 27 to 37 years to undergo military service for a period of two years, serve 12 months and pay 2.5 million drams, serve 6 months and pay 5 million drams, serve 1 month and pay 10 million drams and pay 15 million drams in lieu of the entire period of military service. He believes that the adoption of the bill will allow many citizens to return to their homeland, and the country's armed forces will be able to be staffed by repatriates. At the same time, the state budget will receive additional financial resources. The funds received will be used to solve the problems of military personnel.
In addition, according to the parliamentarian, financial and material resources spent on identifying, prosecuting, convicting and keeping in prison evaders who have reached 27 years of age will be saved. Persons over the age of 27 who have received RA citizenship get the opportunity to serve only 1 year instead of 2 years, paying 2.5 million drams to the state budget.
According to current legislation, Armenian citizens aged 27 years and older who have not served, even if they surrender, are subject to criminal punishment for a period of five years. The presented document is intended to resolve this problem and, in the case of service in the Armed Forces, to avoid criminal prosecution.