Armenian Insurance Foundation for Servicemen will reach more victims

The Armenian Insurance Foundation for Servicemen is expanding its reach: starting from 1 April this year, families of military personnel who died or received disability compensation from 2008 to 2014 will receive monthly payments.

Previously, the fund only compensated families of military personnel who died or were injured between 2015 to 2016.

• How the game of war is played in Armenia and Azerbaijan

Details of the decision 

As a result of the decision, the number of people receiving aid from the foundation will dramatically rise.

Starting next year, the scope will expand even further, and compensation will be given for even older cases.

The executive director of the fund, Varyuzhan Avetikyan, noted that currently the amount collected by the fund exceeded 14 billion drams ($28 million), and the total amount of payments during the period of the fund’s operation has already reached 941 million drams ($1.9 million).

About the foundation 

The Insurance Foundation for Servicemen was launched in 2017.

The idea was proposed by former Minister of Defence Vigen Sargsyan. The creation of the fund was timed with the 25th anniversary of the Armenian army. Its purpose is to provide compensation to the families of dead and wounded soldiers.

The law On Compensation of Damage to the Life or Health of Military Personnel During the Defence of the Republic of Armenia came into force on 9 January 2017, with 1,000 AMD (about two dollars) deducted monthly from the salaries of all residents of Armenia.

The fund is also replenished through larger, private donations.

As a result, the families of victims, as well as soldiers of the first group with disabilities, are paid in total about ten million drams (about 21 thousand dollars) and five million drams (a little more than 10 thousand dollars) to the disabled of the second group.

At one point, the creation of the foundation caused an ambiguous reaction in society.

Residents of Armenia have always been very warm towards young people defending the borders of Armenia. In society there has always been a willingness to help the army. The problem of negative attitudes was that the people of the country did not trust the former government nor its promises about the transparency of the use of the collected funds.

The approach of the current authorities 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced in 2018, while meeting with the mothers of dead soldiers, that more people would be helped by the Insurance Foundation for Servicemen.

At the time, Pashinyan said that in the coming years, taking into account the capabilities of the foundation, the period for assistance would increase.

“The problem is not only in the distribution of benefits, but also in the ability to pay this money on time. We cannot promise, and then fail to keep our promises – and thereby offend people,” said the prime minister.

Half a year later, on 22 March, Nikol Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page:

“Starting from 1 April 2019, the 1,000 dram fund will begin to pay compensation to soldiers who received disabilities in the 1st and 2nd groups, and to the families of soldiers who died during combat duty from January 2008 inclusive. This is an extremely important decision and consolation for all of us.”