How Much Money Do NSS Border Guards Earn? NSS Deputy Director States Salary is Very Low

The budget of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia for 2022 amounts to AMD 42 billion 669 million, which is an increase of 8.7 percent compared to the AMD 34 billion 733 million allocated in 2021. This was stated today by Aram Hakobyan, Deputy Director of the National Security Service of Armenia, during the joint session of the permanent committees on defense and security issues and financial and budgetary matters of the National Assembly, presenting the draft state budget for 2022.

Hakobyan also informed that within this budget, 11 measures are planned under 2 main program directions: ensuring state protection and national security. “For the implementation of 6 measures of the ‘National Security’ program, AMD 38 billion 630 million is allocated, which is a 9.1 percent increase compared to 2021. For the 5 measures of the ‘Ensuring State Protection’ program, AMD 4 billion 38 million is allocated, which is a decrease of 0.4 percent compared to the 2021 budget,” Hakobyan detailed.

Opposition “Armenia” faction secretary Artavazd Minasyan inquired how the NSS horses and dogs assist at the state border. “I would ask you, if you have time, to visit the Armenian-Georgian border, to see what the terrain is like and what these animals are doing,” stated the NSS Deputy Director.

Andranik Kocharyan, a deputy from the “Civil Contract” faction and chairman of the permanent committee on defense and security issues, mentioned that there is no need to go to the border. “We have all watched Soviet films, especially there was a series about the border where we saw both horses and dogs. We live in a mountainous country, and we must effectively use all possible resources, both technical and animal,” said Kocharyan.

Regarding the salaries of employees of the NSS border guard service, the NSS Deputy Director noted that salaries are extremely low, and contractual employees are leaving their jobs. As a result, the number of border guards has sharply decreased. “But there is a directive, we must respond promptly to this directive and create the opportunity to increase salaries. The increase will be around AMD 210,000 to 220,000. Currently, they receive about AMD 160,000,” Aram Hakobyan stated.

The NSS Deputy Director also assured that by the end of November, the NSS will complete the installation of cabins at all borders of Armenia. According to him, currently, border guards are 99 percent equipped with cabins. The last one was installed last week in the Syunik region, on the Vorotan road. According to Aram Hakobyan's information, border guards are still living in a trailer in only one location, which will be replaced by a cabin before the end of November.