Current Political Power Must Clarify Where the State is Heading: Movses Hakobyan

The soldier's training and unit coordination program lasts for at least six months, and a soldier must participate in this program for at least six months to become a fully prepared and harmonized unit member. This was stated by the former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Movses Hakobyan, in an interview with NEWS.am, commenting on Prime Minister Pashinyan’s announcement regarding the reduction of mandatory military service duration.

“It is impossible to implement the program in three months. Each time it results in being half-completed. A soldier must be in service for at least six months to fully assimilate a training program,” remarked the former high-ranking military official, adding that it is currently unclear to him what the authorities aim to achieve with this, and where they want to go.

“For a soldier to learn how to engage in combat within a unit, they must serve together for a minimum of six months,” he emphasized.

When asked whether such an idea is outdated given the post-war realities, Hakobyan replied: “It is essential to understand where the state is heading. The current political power must clarify where it is going. When they do not communicate, it is difficult to draw conclusions. The country's security depends on several parameters. The armed forces are just a part of it. If there is serious political and diplomatic support, and you can achieve success in diplomacy, the size of the armed forces can be smaller.”