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The male citizens of 18-27 age are subject to compulsory military service in Armenia. They are conscripted at age 18 to compulsory military service. However, before turning 27, in case of not completing compulsory military service those citizens continue remaining in search, under criminal prosecution: The deputy of the Civil Contract Faction Hayk Sargsyan said.

“At this time, we have more than 5000 citizens, who turned 27, and they cannot come and complete compulsory military service. They have only one version – to be sentenced to prison,” the MP underlined. Hayk Sargsyan proposed to give an opportunity the citizens that turned 27 and not completed compulsory military service, at the same time paying to the RA state budget relevant amount of money by the package of bills on Making Addenda and Amendments to the law on Military Service and the Military Serviceman’s Status and on Making Addendum to the RA Criminal Code. In the mentioned all cases the citizen will be released from criminal responsibility.

The author presented proposals, including of technical character from the first to the second reading. The rapporteur noted that the Government approved the proposal of making 8 million AMD instead of 10 million AMD for 1-month service. According to Hayk Sargsyan, the amendment will promote to the increase of the number of the probable beneficiaries, who would like to make use of the law.

The author’s other proposal refers to the persons, who received citizenship recently. It was established by the initiative that the male persons of 27-35 age, who will become citizen of the Republic of Armenia, will be obliged to serve 1 year or pay 2.5 million AMD. The age limit was expanded from the first to the second reading, being set – 18-45.

In the rapporteur’s opinion, the amendments will promote to have additional conscripts, as well as generating financial means to the state budget.

Hayk Sargsyan answered the deputies’ questions, which referred to the ideology of the initiative, the logic of the amount of money to be paid to the budget, etc. The author noted that the citizens who will come to Armenia after turning 27, but for health reasons will not be fit for service, will be obliged to pay 15 million AMD. However, if the initiative is not passed, then those citizens will neither pay the amount of money, not will serve.

The co-rapporteur Vahagn Aleksanyan considered welcoming to give opportunity the citizens turning 27 and being abroad to serve. The MP also presented his observations, noting that by the initiative legal solution are proposed for the solution of the existing problems in the sphere.

The RA Deputy Minister of Defense Arman Sargsyan mentioned that some of the proposals submitted by the Government were not realized after the first reading and urged the author to realize them. The position of the Government is that at the moment of passing the law it will be inforce and refer to the persons who have turned 27.

According to the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan, the Government proposes to be abstained of making any amendment in the rules of the granting citizenship.

In their speeches the deputies presented their concerns and proposals. Some amendments were considered inadmissible and not fair.

The Committee Chair Andranik Kocharyan, considering inadmissible the idea of the initiative, noted that nevertheless, the Committee should not make wrong decisions on some issues.

During the debate the author of the initiative considered admissible almost all proposals of the Government. Hayk Sargsyan only did not accept the proposal of the Executive on not serving the persons receiving citizenship and not paying to the state budget.

The legislative package was debated in the second reading at January 11 sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security.

The revised initiative was endorsed by the Committee.