Your trusted source

Armenian PM Karen Karapetyan received today a group of students protesting against the new bill that abolishes the temporary exemptions from compulsory military service for graduate and undergraduate students.
Press secretary to PM Aram Khachatryan has posted a photo on his Facebook page from the meeting. According to the message, defense and education ministers partook at the meeting as well.

To remind, dozens of students from different departments of the Yerevan State University have walked out of classes since Monday to protest against amendments into the Armenian law “On Military Duty and Military Service.”

The bill, initiated by the defense ministry and adopted in the first reading by the parliament, establishes a compulsory army service for all eligible citizens reaching age 18, while draft deferments are granted to only those students who would agree to undergo parallel military training and serve in the army as officers for three years after graduation.

Critics of the legislation point to the adverse impact of the new law on the education and science, suggesting the abolishment of conscription deferments will prevent prospective students from professional, scientific or educational activities. Meanwhile, the proponents of the law insist the deferments are a violation of social justice. Additionally, cancelling all exemptions for compulsory service would minimize corruption risks in the military and educations spheres in cases when eligible citizens would wish to avoid the army.