Individuals Have Not Only Resigned from Service Legally; They Paid the 'Problem Solver': Sargsyan

During the period from 2019 to 2023, 3,774 criminal cases have been dismissed without justification through lawyers, doctors, and other means. These individuals did not serve their time and were not convicted. I was told, 'We paid someone, and our issue was resolved.' As a legislator, I am perplexed because they should have brought that money—10 million drams—to the state and served for one month, but instead, they paid the 'problem solver' and did not serve.

This was stated by Hayk Sargsyan, a member of the 'Civil Contract' faction in the National Assembly. 'I want us to pay attention to the fact that people did not only refuse service in accordance with the law. In 2019, I was studying and speaking out about a draft proposal I had circulated—to serve for 1 month and pay 10 million drams. Dozens of citizens contacted me expressing their desire to take advantage of this law. This is why the amount should be proportionate, an amount that realistically reflects what the state can accept.'

'Now we have over 1,200 young men who have no alternative but to be sentenced if they return to Armenia. Today's proposed amendment will resolve this issue once and for all. All those who have turned 27 or will turn 27 will be able to benefit from any of the five options I proposed and be freed from criminal liability, as the conscription age has now been raised to 37 for them,' Sargsyan stated.

The draft proposes that citizens aged 27-37 can be exempted from criminal liability by voluntarily returning to the Republic of Armenia and choosing one of the following five options: 1. Serve for 24 months, 2. Serve for 12 months and pay 2.5 million drams to the state budget, 3. Serve for 6 months and pay 5 million drams to the state budget, 4. Serve for 1 month and pay 10 million drams to the state budget, 5. Pay 15 million drams to the state budget instead of military service.

The draft has received a positive conclusion from the National Assembly committee and also a positive conclusion from the Government regarding the proposal.