Armenian prime minister outlines major directions of defense reform
13.05.2020,
19:08
Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired today the maiden meeting of an interagency commission set up to oversee the enforcement of defense reforms, one of which calls for elimination of army hazing.
YEREVAN, May 13. /ARKA/. Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan chaired today the maiden meeting of an interagency commission set up to oversee the enforcement of defense reforms, one of which calls for elimination of army hazing.
Pashinyan said Armenian armed forces have unquestioned authority, which is understandable. 'At the same time, we have a strange phenomenon when the authority of the service in the army does not correspond to the authority of the armed forces. The task is to make both to be equal," Pashinyan was quoted as saying by the government's press office.
Pashinyan noted that the interagency commission is outside the competence of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, because large-scale reforms underway in the army now, should be watched and assessed by an outside body.
The prime minister noted that the commission was formed in such a way as to keep it as far as possible from the influence of the political situation.
He said the reform-related decisions, backed by both sides, will most likely be implemented, and in cases where the sides fail to agree on a reform, it will be considered in the Security Council and enforced if approved.
Pashinyan said also that the number of army deaths was the lowest in 2019. "However, you know that at the beginning of this year there was a surge in the number of army deaths. Each such case receives a great public response. First of all, the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff and the government react. Our task is to improve the mechanism for managing these situations and risks," said the head of government.
He said numerous departments and institutes came up with various proposals on how to eliminate hazing and other vicious phenomena in the armed forces and there is a need to classify them and make decisions.
The interagency commission is led by the Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan. --0--
Pashinyan said Armenian armed forces have unquestioned authority, which is understandable. 'At the same time, we have a strange phenomenon when the authority of the service in the army does not correspond to the authority of the armed forces. The task is to make both to be equal," Pashinyan was quoted as saying by the government's press office.
Pashinyan noted that the interagency commission is outside the competence of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, because large-scale reforms underway in the army now, should be watched and assessed by an outside body.
The prime minister noted that the commission was formed in such a way as to keep it as far as possible from the influence of the political situation.
He said the reform-related decisions, backed by both sides, will most likely be implemented, and in cases where the sides fail to agree on a reform, it will be considered in the Security Council and enforced if approved.
Pashinyan said also that the number of army deaths was the lowest in 2019. "However, you know that at the beginning of this year there was a surge in the number of army deaths. Each such case receives a great public response. First of all, the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff and the government react. Our task is to improve the mechanism for managing these situations and risks," said the head of government.
He said numerous departments and institutes came up with various proposals on how to eliminate hazing and other vicious phenomena in the armed forces and there is a need to classify them and make decisions.
The interagency commission is led by the Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan. --0--
