Papikyan Tries to Radically Change the Outdated System, Says Alexanyan about the Fire and the Army

Army is headed by a man who is trying to change the outdated system in the most radical way possible, said ruling party MP Vahagn Alexanyan in an interview with Azatutyun while addressing the question of why Defense Minister Suren Papikyan has not resigned following the tragic fire in a military barrack that claimed the lives of 15 soldiers last week.

According to Alexanyan, it is already evident in Papikyan's term that the reforms will move in a particular direction.

Here is an excerpt from the interview with the MP:

Journalist: Why hasn’t the defense minister resigned?

Alexanyan: We have always gone through this cycle of appointments; this mechanism has been spinning continuously, replacing one senior military official with another.

Journalist: Should it definitely be from the army?

Alexanyan: It should definitely be from the army. We have not violated that principle, and we have convinced ourselves that it’s actually very wrong and does not bring about the results or the sharp reforms that we want to see. During the time that Suren Papikyan has been defense minister, I think it’s at least evident what direction the reforms will take. But this incident, along with several others, arises precisely from the fact that people either do not read their responsibilities or they do read them and do not execute them.

For instance, years ago, a law was passed stating that no furnace should be lit in military barracks after 8 PM. It is a fact that this system is, as such, outdated. Our army is embedded within an outdated system.

Journalist: It doesn’t matter who is at the top of the system, and such a disaster is something human rights advocates do not remember. I mean not in combat conditions, but a catastrophe with such a high number of casualties, and shouldn’t the person at the head of this system say, 'I’m sorry, I’m leaving'?

Alexanyan: I would definitely maintain that viewpoint if we did not have a person who is trying to change that system in the most radical way possible.

Journalist: And the opposite has happened on the ground.

Alexanyan: And the opposite has occurred on the ground. In my view, whether it’s the minister or the chief of the general staff, there’s an order from the chief of the general staff that says under no circumstances should gasoline be taken to the barracks. Now they are talking about why the furnace was lit there. That village is not gasified; in almost all our positions, in winter conditions, wood stoves are used for heating. In the majority of Armenian villages, wood stoves are used.

Journalist: So why did the corps commander go there, according to your logic, he also bore no responsibility?

Alexanyan: There is a series of immediate responsibilities, whether it's with inspections or with the personnel having a grasp of their obligations; significant work needs to be done because, yes, someone should ask that captain, ‘Please tell me about your military duties.’

Journalist: Will a criminal case clarify who brought the gasoline, why, or whether that was the cause? There could have been a thousand reasons, ranging from a diversionary group to an electrical short circuit, and so on. The fact is, in any case, that building did not meet the standards, and the fire would create such consequences.

Alexanyan: Yes, the building did not meet standards.

Journalist: Its responsible party is the Defense Ministry, which accepted that building as a residence.

Alexanyan: But let’s approach the question from another side. When we talk about these modular barracks, which have been ordered in large numbers from Italy, some of which have already arrived, and the rest will be here soon, they are rather expensive, etc. There is criticism related to them as well, that you know what, they may not withstand some bombardment as well as that same building, whose walls are 60-70 cm thick. There is some definite claim that the deployed troops should be within a certain area that is a very relative question. I am now stating that it is clear that yes, the best conditions must be ensured for soldiers, and the political will is at the level of government and the National Assembly majority, but here are the second and third aspects of the question.

Journalist: After this incident, did the assurances about equipping the positions disappear into thin air?

Alexanyan: They undoubtedly have not vanished, because significant resources have been invested in the positions, and several positions are being built with fortification structures.