RA Defense Minister: Perished militaries families to get AMD 10 mln lump sum and AMD 300 000 monthly

ArmInfo. National Assembly of Armenia at December 14 session adopted in second reading the. The Law on Compensation of Life and Health Loss to Military Service Men Defending the Republic of Armenia, and the package of supporting  documents.  According to Vigen Sargsyan, the Defense Minister, the families of the killed and first degree diabled individuals will receive a onetime compensation of 10 million AMD. 

The families of the second degree handicapped servicemen will receive  a onetime compensation of 5 million AMD. Monthly compensations in  case of death of the serviceman or the first degree handicap will  make 300,000 AMD for the officers, 250,000 AMD for the junior  officers and 200,000 for the privates. In case of becoming the second  degree handicap, the compensations will respectively make 200,000;  150,000; and 100,000 AMD. That amount, in the form of insurance  benefit, will be paid out for 20 years, which will make 82 million  AMD for the officers, 70 million AMD for the junior officer staff,  and 58 million AMD for the privates. The program will be financed  through a special fund to which every working person will monthly  contribute one thousand AMD.  Sargsyan says  the  events of April  2016 showed that   it is impossible to cover the compensations needed  is impossible only with the budget assets. That is why an appropriate  fund will be established, and every employed citizen will be charged  with AMD 1000 compulsory fee to that Fund. The Fund will be  administrated by the Government, Central Bank of Republic of Armenia  and the Board of Trustees. The Central Bank will administrate the  Fund free of charge for five years. Families having members at  military service will be released of this charge.

The Minister clarified to lawmakers the essence of the Draft Law on    AMD 1000  charges for all employed nationals. Answering the question  regarding the initiative on voluntary but not compulsory charging,  the Minister mentioned the "Martik" fund. I have studied the reports,  and I must say that the picture is pretty sad, because the number of  charity payments made during long years of fund work, formed only  7000, and the total amount makes USD 1,2 mln, the Minister stated.  According to the Minister's words, a single cent have not been spent  from that amount.  The money is in the bank and the dividends are  spent to satisfy militaries' families needs.  The Minister  accentuated also that the AMD 1000 initiative allows al the nationals  to participate in militaries support programs. And that support will  be not of spontaneous, but of permanent character. " This Law is a  step forward and is aimed at the expansion of other issues," Vigen  Sargsyan said.  What is to the retroactive effect of the law, Vigen  Sargsyan mentioned that if additional amounts will be attracted to  this fund, it will become possible to provide help also to the  families of those militaries, who have perished or have been wounded  in the past. " It will become possible if we succeed with other,  additional payments over those estimated," Sargsyan said.