Deputy Minister of Defense does not agree with the voiced assessments  of the leadership of the army

ArmInfo. Following the relevant order of the Prime Minister, control in the Armenian army was tightened. On March 3, Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia Gabriel  Balayan stated this in an interview with reporters.

He noted that the army is under quite strict control. "So, for  example, yesterday a statement was spread that checks were made in  the army and prohibited items were seized (mainly smartphones - Ed.  note)," Balayan emphasized.

The Deputy Minister of Defense also touched on the increase in  peacetime deaths in the army. In connection with this issue, the  latter noted that all the actions shoule be taken within the law. "If  we intend to build a rule of law, then all actions should be  exclusively within the law. We have Criminal and Criminal Procedure  Codes and any punishment should be within the framework of laws. The  Ministry of Defense has the right to punish only in a disciplinary  manner," Balayan explained. 

He also noted that he did not agree with the comments that have  recently been made to the leadership of the army.  "Of course, we  also have flaws. But I do not agree with the point of view that  everyone around is good, and officers and generals are bad. Our  public has something to learn from our generals," the deputy minister  stressed, noting that many victories were achieved precisely thanks  to the officers of the RA Armed Forces.

As for the resignations in the army, Balayan said that this is a  natural process and the change of personnel periodically occurs. As  for media reports that the former chief of the military police, Artur  Baghdasaryan, was corrupt, the deputy minister said that a trial was  scheduled, but Baghdasaryan's actions did not reveal the corpus  delicti.

It should be noted that on February 17, the head of the Cabinet of  Ministers of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan held a working meeting in which  the heads of law enforcement agencies took part. Pashinyan said that  one of the main goals is to solve the problem of criminal subculture  in the army, as well as discipline.

To recall, on February 14 it became known about the death of the 13th  soldier who died in the Armenian army since the beginning of the  year. Almost all of these deaths occurred under unclear  circumstances.