Changes to the Law on Service in the NSS Have Weakened the Structure

The National Security Service, as a guarantor of the state's response to existing challenges, should be led by an officer who has undergone professional training within the NSS system, is tempered in years of service, and possesses a deep understanding of the nuances of the system. This statement was issued by the Non-Governmental Organization of the National Security Service Reserve Officers Association.

Until the enactment of the law on 'Service in National Security Bodies' on May 22, 2008, the prevailing regulations stipulated that the head of a state authorized body could be appointed from among those serving in the national security bodies who had held a senior position in the national security bodies or a position in a higher group for the last three years and had a rank not lower than colonel.

Similar regulations were in place regarding the requirements for appointing a deputy head of the Service.

The 2008 amendment also established that in case of a vacancy in a state authorized body, personnel from the armed forces, police, compulsory enforcement service of judicial acts, penitentiary service bodies, and civil servants of the Ministry of Justice, as well as prosecutors and former officers of national security bodies appointed to other state bodies by the President of the Republic of Armenia, the Government of the Republic of Armenia, or the Prime Minister, could be appointed to the service if they meet the requirements established for national security personnel.

However, this last regulation was only practically applied in 2016. Prior to that, the National Security Service was headed by officers who had served in the system for many years.

Given the current situation in the country, we believe it is necessary to restore the provisions in the law on 'Service in National Security Bodies' to the conditions as of May 22, 2008, since effective management and coordination of the NSS’s activities requires having officers with years of experience and specialized knowledge at the helm of the structure.

These changes to the law would also protect the National Security Service from appointments based on political expediency, a fact that has been openly acknowledged by the current authorities.

We announce that in the upcoming parliamentary elections, our possible support can only be given to those political forces whose approaches align with our positions on this issue.