YEREVAN. – The compulsory payment will be retained in the “1,000-dram” draft law, and there will be an opportunity to increase the funds of the respective foundation through voluntary payments.

Defense Minister of Armenia, Vigen Sargsyan, stated the abovementioned during Monday’s debates at the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs, with respect to the aforesaid bill.

“We find it appropriate to maintain the approaches that are in the draft law and, maintaining the mandatory payment as a basis, to create an opportunity for increasing the amount of the funds of this foundation with additional voluntary payments,” Sargsyan noted, in particular.

The committee approved the bill, with four votes in favor and one against.

This draft law proposes the deduction of 1,000 drams (about US$2) from the monthly salaries of people working in Armenia, and the use of these deductions for making insurance payments to the disabled soldiers, and families of the fallen military servicemen of the country.