“The rich don't have to serve in the army?” - a new project of the Armenian Defense Ministry under scrutiny
Opting out of military service in Armenia
A new draft law developed by the Armenian Ministry of Defense has been published and already generated much discussion. One provision of the law, according to which a conscript will have to serve in the army for only four and a half months if he pays 24 million drams (almost $60 thousand) to the state budget, has come under scrutiny.
The draft law has not yet been passed and it is possible that changes will yet be made, as it is being criticized hashly not only by the opposition, but also various experts. At the same time, some Armenians find it totally in order, as it would shield the children of the wealthy from military service.
Details of the bill, and what the opposition, experts and Armenians think about it.
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Stage of transition to a professional army
The program of the Government of Armenia for 2021-2026 provides for the creation of a legislative framework for the gradual reduction of the period of compulsory military service.
According to the proposal of the Ministry of Defense, after the completion of four and a half months of basic training, those called up for compulsory military service will be given the opportunity of early release. The only condition is the payment of 24,000,000 drams to the state budget.
This sum was arrived at by assuming that instead of one conscript a contract soldier will be recruited, and in five years he will receive a monthly salary of about 400,000 drams ($1,000). According to the authors of the law, this will serve as motivation to enlist. It is also hoped that it will become a step toward a professional military service system.
In essence, the draft amendments and additions to the law “On military service and the status of soldiers” aim at the creation of a new system of contract military service.
According to the Defense Ministry, it is necessary to
- increase the attractiveness and interest in entering the military service under the contract,
- create prerequisites for the development of professional military service,
- introduce a system for the transition of privates and officers from compulsory military service to contract and short-term compulsory service for privates
“The bill is unconstitutional”
Lawyer Robert Hayrapetyan maintains that the Ministry of Defense’s project does not comply with the country’s constitution, and amounts to discrimination based on the property status of citizens. According to the Hayrapetyan, the poor will be required to serve for two years if they can’t come up with $60,000, while the wealthy can opt out.
“What are they trying to do? They are trying to make sure that the regular army, which until 2018 was considered the most combat-ready in the region, no longer exists. And in such an anti-constitutional way they intend to simply fill the state budget,” Hayrapetyan said.
He believes that the draft is likely to be adopted in September, judging from the government’s lobbying efforts. However, he believes that the opposition can appeal to the Constitutional Court on this issue.
“Turn the national army into a mercenary corps”
Former Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia Artak Zakaryan, who now acts as an opposition figure and a member of the Republican Party of Armenia, also criticized the draft law of the Ministry of Defense:
“If it occurred to anyone in Israel to free a socially polarized society from legal service in exchange for a large amount of money, this country would have ceased to exist. In fact, the leadership of the Ministry of Defense thought for a long time about how to hatch such stupidity. For the poor to become even more impoverished, the rich to evade [service] even more, and the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia turn from a national army into hired troops. […]
“And what about equality of citizens and social justice? And if a person has three male children and does not have 72,000,000 drams? What should he do, choose between them?
Zakarian also recalled how, in 2017, his party submitted a proposal to parliament to release dodgers from criminal prosecution if they pay 200,000 drams to the budget for each missed call (about $500 at the current exchange rate) and return to their homeland. According to him, the politicians now in power, who were the opposition at the time, “raised a populist howl.”
“One way or another, the rich do not serve, so let them replenish the budget”
Meanwhile, public opinion is divided. Some support the opposition’s approach, some express a radically opposite opinion.
On social networks people write that one way or another, the children of wealthy people do not serve:
“There are many reasons for this – “health problems” up to mental health. So let them replenish the state budget.”
“Even if one of the sons of rich and very rich people serves in the army, then this is something like VIP service. You could say they become a burden, a burden for the army.”
“It is better that they legally pay to the budget. And with this money they will hire contractors, they will be paid normally. So gradually the country will have a professional army.”
Opting out of military service in Armenia
