YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS:

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan talked today with reporters about the increase of trust of people toward the army, military-patriotic upbringing of growing generation, ministry’s achievements and flaws registered during this year.

- How do you assess the military-patriotic spirit in the army?

- The works carried out toward strengthening the moral-psychological situation in the Armenian army are permanent. If today the Armenian Armed Forces, an Armenian soldier are implementing their duties on high level, safeguard our borders, respond in case of necessity, it means that the spirit of our soldier is on a high level.

- Stemming from last year’s experience, what must be done in the coming year? What flaws did you have?

- I think in 2012 we must improve the implementation of commitments of each, especially in the circles of the DM-soldier chain. In many cases we are having flaws. We all realize that the flaws must be eliminated, so that all the commitments are implemented in a proper way.

- What events are being implemented to increase the trust of the people toward the army, so that mothers send their sons to the army without fear?

- The first are the issues the army is facing, ensuring the battle-worthiness of the army within the framework of which we are implementing events which increase our national guarantees. It is excellence inside us over our neighbors: we may implement all the issues we are facing in case of balance and in case of higher spiritual and qualitative indicators, these are international guarantees which increase our rating international arena and show the world that we may participate in the solution of all kind of security issues in the world. The most important is discipline and though because of some tension different incidents take place, but I want to inform our public that works are being carried out to reinforce the discipline and the results are seen from year to year.

- What will you say about the recent case in Yeghnikner unit when the eye of a soldier was heavily harmed?

-We have already taken steps for subjecting the guilty to criminal and administrative responsibility. The guilty subaltern will be strictly punished within the limits of law.