Armenia to develop a 7-year modernization program for the army - Mediamax.am

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Armenia to develop a 7-year modernization program for the army



Yerevan/Mediamax/. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan delivered a comprehensive speech at the opening session of the Armenian National Defense Research University’s new educational program today.

Mediamax offers the most notable excerpts from the President’s speech.

 

7-year program for modernization of the army

 

“Today I set the task of developing a seven-year program for modernization of the Armenian army, which will take place between 2018 and 2025. We have to realize this program all together: I as the Commander-in-Chief, the Minister of Defense, the General Staff, our soldiers, and the whole society.

 

I instruct the Minister of Defense to prepare a report on the program-related efforts within two months. Once discussions and necessary changes to the draft are completed, we will adopt the program on 28 January 2018, on the day of our army’s anniversary.

 

The program must be among key issues for our country in this stage, if not the main issue. Our army, already combat ready, has to reach an exceptional level in these seven years.

 

The first important area of focus of this modernization is the smooth shift to new management model for the armed forces, which is conditioned by the constitutional amendments. The draft Law on Defense, up for discussion at the National Assembly these few days, solves the most important, although only the first part of the issue, i.e. the legislative part. Afterwards, scrupulous work will be required to realize development and introduction of sub-legal acts and implementation of practical steps in correct order.

 

Modernization of the army also covers the level of discipline, weapons, soldiers’ social issues, i.e. the entire complex of army-related issues. We always worked on that, but now the task is to accelerate these processes, ensuring rapid development. We have to work quickly,” said the President.

 

“As you know, the next year’s budget will see a drastic increase in military expenditure. However, the increase won’t be just for a year, as we will make it continuous. You are well-aware that our weapons had a drastic increase in amount and quality in recent years. We will continue working in that direction. We will have new, essential achievements in that regard every year.”

 

Solution for army officers’ housing issue

 

“The new draft Law on Army Service will essentially review the housing issue of the officer personnel. Experience shows that the queue program, which goes on for years, poses multiple corruption risks and enervates the officers instead of solving the housing issue, is not effective. We can try to shift to a program of affordable mortgage. Although it would create additional financial burden for the state budget, I instructed to do a detailed research and find a solution. I am almost certain that we’ll be able to introduce the new program on January 1.

 

We are also ready to find a co-financing source for those officers who want to sign up for the pension fund. The preliminary estimation allows us to anticipate that an officer, who invests 5% of monthly salary and retires at 65, will have the pension equal to what an officer holding position similar to the retiree will earn at the given moment.”

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