Defense Ministry seeks to replace militia system with local defense forces

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The Defense Ministry has presented a bill to parliament on replacing the current militia system with voluntary local defense forces. 

The local defense forces will be subordinate to the army corps commander. The forces will be included in the military bases under the given army corps command as support units.

Citizens who are listed as Group 2 reservists or have been withdrawn from military registries are entitled to enlist to the local defense forces through their regional enlistment offices. The enlistment contract does not amount to a military service contract, deputy defense minister Arman Sargsyan told lawmakers during a committee hearing.

The purpose of the new system is to organize and regulate the training and involvement process of citizens, which will mostly maintain the conditions under the law on militia.