The Armenian government has put a bill, which envisages reducing the duration of compulsory military service from 2 years to 1.5 years, up for public discussion.
Modern.az reports that, according to the “Hraparak” newspaper, the change will come into force starting from the summer conscription of 2026.
The project states that in recent years, a number of steps have been taken to expand contract service, and initiatives such as the “Let's Protect the Homeland” program, the professional sergeant corps, the military personnel attestation system, and the retention of pension provisions for long-term service in border units have been implemented.
According to the information, before the project was prepared, experienced military personnel at the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces warned the Ministry of Defense that such a change could create serious risks. According to their calculations, as a result of the reduction in service duration, the number of military personnel in the army ranks will decrease by 4-5 thousand people within two years, which could pose a threat in terms of combat duty and post protection.
The newspaper writes that the response from official bodies was approximately as follows: “Whoever does not want to work, should write an application and leave. A peace agreement is being signed, and in the new era, this calculation will be fully justified.”
According to the information, the opposition also hesitates to openly criticize this issue. Analysts believe that by putting this popular project up for discussion on the eve of elections, the government is trying to gain the sympathy of a part of society.
“Hraparak” writes that this change is not only populist in nature but also serves the gradual process of “demilitarization” of the army and could question the existence of the Armenian army in the long term.
