VIDEO: Certification Should Not Be Tied to Money, Says Seyran Ohanyan

The leader of the Armenia faction and former Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan stated today that when he accepted the Ministry of Defense, the budget was 110 billion.

“In 2016, after handing over, only 110 billion was allocated for salaries, meaning that from 200 billion, 110 billion was for salaries, and each year we increased it by approximately 10 percent,” Ohanyan said during a session of the National Assembly.

According to him, there has been a system of financial provision for salaries, bonuses, and allowances within the Ministry of Defense.

“Our view is the following: the certification should not be linked to money; the certification qualifies each serviceman's compliance with their position—either they are deserving of the position, or they should be dismissed, or they should be transferred to an equivalent position,” the former minister stated.

Ohanyan proposed that the overall level of basic monetary compensation, bonuses, and allowances in the army should be raised.