Armenian Lawmakers Reject Military Reform Bill That Lets Men Pay to Skip Service

Armenia’s National Assembly voted not to include a controversial military reform bill on its official agenda on Tuesday. The proposed law, introduced by ruling party lawmaker Hayk Sargsyan, would have allowed citizens to pay large sums of money to reduce the time they must serve in the military.

The bill came from within the ruling Civil Contract party, but 87 lawmakers — including Sargsyan himself — voted against it. Sargsyan explained that he did so after speaking with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who advised that the proposal was not ready in its current form. 

“I’m not abandoning the initiative,” Sargsyan said after the vote. “It still needs work, but I will try again.”

The law aimed to give men aged 18 to 32 the option to serve just one month in the army by paying about $63,000, or four months by paying around $47,000. Right now, Armenia’s required service is two full years. The bill also would have raised the age limit for conscription from 27 to 32.

Supporters said the plan would help prevent corruption and illegal draft exemptions by making the process more transparent. Just one day before the vote, Sargsyan told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that he believed most of his fellow lawmakers agreed with him. He insisted the goal was to stop secret deals, not allow them.

Human Rights Defender Anahit Manasyan strongly opposed the idea. In a public statement, she said the bill would increase inequality by giving richer citizens a way out of full service, while poorer young men would still be forced to serve the full term. “This creates special privileges for the wealthy,” she said. “It goes against the basic idea of fairness and equal treatment under the law.”

Manasyan also warned that this kind of system could harm morale within the armed forces. “Will this not lead to resentment, internal conflict, and a weakening of discipline among soldiers?” her office asked in a statement. She called for a full human rights review and greater public discussion before any law of this kind is passed.

After her comments, the parliament’s defense committee canceled a hearing that had been scheduled to review the proposal. They said there were too many urgent concerns that had to be addressed first. Still, Sargsyan said the government wanted the reform to pass before the next group of conscripts joins the military in July.

The bill had already been given early approval by the Cabinet and had received support from Defense Minister Suren Papikyan. But even he later admitted that both technical and legal problems with the draft needed to be fixed.

Sargsyan pointed out that other countries, including Turkey, Greece, and Iran, have adopted similar systems. He argued that Armenia must modernize its armed forces and reduce illegal ways people try to avoid service. “We need this reform to make the military stronger and more honest,” he said.

For now, the law will not move forward. Sargsyan and others in the government plan to continue working on a revised version. Military service remains a top concern for people in Armenia, especially at a time when regional security is being challenged by ongoing conflicts.

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