Armenian Parliament Debates Scrapping Draft Deferments

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) ”“ On Wednesday, the Armenian parliament began debating a government proposal to essentially abolish temporary exemptions from military service that have long been enjoyed by many students of state-run universities.

Armenian law currently allows draft-age male students having government scholarships to perform the two-year compulsory service after completing their undergraduate, graduate or post-graduate studies.

The bill drafted by the Armenian Defense Ministry would grant draft deferments only to those students who would agree to undergo parallel military training and serve in the army as officers for three years after graduation. Defense Minister Vigen Sargsian has said that it would close a key loophole for evading military service and reduce “corruption risks”