Conscription age of RA citizens may be raised - MP

ArmInfo. The conscription age of citizens may be raised in Armenia. MP from the ruling Civil  Contract faction Hayk Sargsyan made a corresponding legislative initiative.

Presenting the initiative on November 14 at a briefing, the  parliamentarian noted that the bill proposes to raise the  conscription age from the current 18-27 years to 40 years. "I believe  that the draft age established in the country is a low threshold. "In  the near future, I will initiate a discussion on raising this  threshold to 40 years," Sargsyan said, adding that in a number of  countries, such as Azerbaijan, Greece, and Syria, the conscription  age is higher than in Armenia.

The parliamentarian also touched upon the draft laws put into  circulation, according to which draft dodgers are offered the  opportunity to avoid military service by making appropriate payments.  In particular, it is proposed to give an opportunity to a citizen of  the Republic of Armenia aged 27 to 37 years to undergo military  service for a period of 24 months and pay 2.5 million drams, to  undergo military service for a period of 6 months and to pay 5  million drams, to undergo military service for a period of 1 month  and pay 10 million drams, be released from service by paying 15  million drams.

Sargsyan emphasized that 10 million drams is the amount that a  contract soldier will receive for 2 years of service. "That is, this  is the amount with which the state will have the opportunity to hire  another contract soldier with a monthly salary of more than 400  thousand drams," the MP noted. As for the difference in payments of 5  million drams, then, according to parliamentarian, this was done to  stimulate at least short- term service. This measure will allow  citizens to learn how to handle weapons, register with a military  unit, etc.