YEREVAN. – The Education and Science Ministry of Armenia, represented by Minister Armen Ashotyan, suggests making an amendment in the Law on Military Conscription.

The ministry proposes to lift the military-duty-postponement right of the male Armenian citizens who are studying at foreign institutions of higher education, on Armenian-state-funded basis and pursuant to intergovernmental and interagency agreements.     

The matter will be discussed at Thursday’s Cabinet meeting. 

According to the ministry, by studying abroad on the basis of military duty postponement, the male Armenian citizens evade compulsory military service, and this, “in turn, promotes the emigration of the population and generates grounds for not returning to the homeland.”     

The minister proposes to set up a special procedure to issue military duty postponement by way of making an amendment in the Law on Military Conscription, whereby a collateral totaling 8.5 million drams (approx. $20,900) will be imposed. 

“[This] will ensure a guarantee to return to Armenia, carry out the constitutional obligations toward the homeland, and use in Armenia the knowledge gained,” the respective bill states, in particular.