22 Individuals Aged 27 to 37 Pay 15 Million Dram and 2 Individuals 8 Million Dram to Be Exempt from Military Service

The newspaper ‘Joghoviut’ reports that, according to the law authored by MP Hayk Sargsyan from the ‘Civil Contract’ parliamentary faction, citizens aged 27 years and older who have not completed mandatory military service can be exempted from criminal prosecution by serving their time or by making a corresponding payment, which has a clearly defined limit.

The law allows citizens aged 27-37 who are wanted to be exempted from criminal prosecution and to undergo military service in the following ways:

1. For a 24-month period
2. For a 12-month period with a payment of 2.5 million dram to the state budget
3. For a 6-month period with a payment of 5 million dram to the state budget
4. For a 1-month period with a payment of 10 million dram to the state budget
5. In lieu of military service by paying 15 million dram to the state budget

The newspaper contacted the Ministry of Defense to find out how many individuals aged 27 and older have applied to the Ministry and paid the required amount to reduce their mandatory military service time. The Ministry of Defense provided the following response:

“According to the data available to the draft recruitment service of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, following the amendments and supplements to the law on ‘Military Service and the Status of Military Servants’, as of April 30 of this year, in accordance with the requirements of Article 19, Section 1.2 of the law, 22 citizens aged 27 years and older who have not completed military service or alternative service in violation of the law paid 15 million dram to the state budget. An additional 2 citizens also contributed 8 million dram to the state budget for a one-month exemption from mandatory military service.”

For more details, refer to today’s edition of the newspaper.