Military Personnel to Receive Additional Pay for Duty in Unfurnished Positions

According to the newspaper 'Jhoghovurd', the Ministry of Defense plans to increase the salaries of service members who will conduct combat duty in newly formed and still unfurnished positions established after the state of emergency. The project has already been circulated in the e-draft system.

As per the proposed package, duty shifts of less than 12 hours will not be accounted for. The additional pay will not apply to those performing mandatory military service and junior officer personnel. The exact combat posts and areas for which service members will receive additional salaries will be confirmed by the authorized body presented by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.

Since the 44-day war and the trilateral statement of November 10, Armenia's state border has extended by nearly 200 km. Unfortunately, most of the newly established positions are still unfurnished. Months ago, the chair of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, Taguhi Tovmasyan, raised the issue.

Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan found justification for the unfurnished positions and observation posts, stating that it was winter and there was snow, which delayed furnishing. However, in an interview with ArmLur.am, former Member of Parliament Sofia Hovsepyan countered Grigoryan's claims, stating, 'Winter and snow are not valid reasons but merely excuses for not having acted.'

For Hovsepyan, it is unacceptable that money is considered the guarantee of security for the responsible authorities. Moreover, the project includes a provision stating that service members will lose the additional pay if minimum furnishings appear in the unfurnished positions. Hovsepyan fears that the so-called minimum furnishings, according to the Ministry of Defense, could be as little as one tarp or a rain cover.

Former commander of the Border Troops of the NSS, Armen Abrahamyan, also expressed concern regarding the unfurnished positions in an interview with the publication.

It should be noted that if the project is implemented, military personnel conducting duty in unfurnished positions will receive an additional pay of up to 60,000 AMD.