At Thursday’s special session of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, the MPs passed—in the second and final reading—the package of amendments to the Law on Defense as well as to some other related laws.

According to these amendments, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia will henceforth have the status of the First Deputy Minister of Defense as well.

These law amendments were adopted unanimously—with 58 votes in favor.

The parliamentary opposition neither attended the respective NA special session nor the voting on this matter.

As per these amendments, although the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces shall become the First Deputy Minister of Defense as well, in the absence of the Minister of Defense, he will not perform the duties of the Minister.

Accountability will extend to defense procurement. The Ministry of Defense will take over from the General Staff of the Armed Forces the matters of material support, so that the leadership of the Armenian army is freed from economic matters and focuses on defense tasks.