Cabinet approves anti-draft dodging measures, new service options

The Cabinet approved a bill authored by MP Hayk Sargsyan aimed at preventing draft dodging among conscription-age male citizens.  

Armenia currently has compulsory two-year military service for male citizens from the age of 18 to 27.

The MP originally wanted to set the upper age limit at 37 but after discussions with governmental bodies it was set at 32. 

The MP had said that citizens must have three options for mandatory service: serve the 24 months and receive high remuneration, pay 15 million drams and serve only 6 months, or pay 20 million drams and serve only 1 month 

Defense Minister Suren Papikyan presented the amended version of the bill on Thursday, which was approved at the Cabinet meeting and will later pass parliamentary debates. 

The shortest service option will be 1 month for 24 million drams, and 4 months for 18 million drams. The government will have the authority to set quotas for each conscription season and define the specific number of eligible applications for these service options. 

The upper age limit, set at 32, will cover only those who will turn 18 after the passage of the law. 

In another move aimed at preventing draft dodging by way of citizenship renunciation, persons below the age of 16 will have to pay 15 million drams in case of applying for citizenship renunciation. 

The MP had earlier said that ethnic Armenians from the Diaspora who want to obtain citizenship before reaching the upper age limit of conscription must have a chance to do so by having an option of either passing a reduced service or paying a respective amount to the budget. Most of them, according to the lawmaker, wait until reaching the age limit and then only apply for citizenship to avoid serving or legal consequences. 

The money generated from the payments for the reduced service options will be directed for the military's needs.