Armenia plans to raise age threshold for contract servicemen

YEREVAN, March 25. /ARKA/.. The Armenian parliament has approved today in the first reading a set of changes to the law on military service and the status of servicemen.

Edmon Marukyan, the leader of the opposition Bright Armenia party, who is a co-author of the changes, noted that under the current legislation, the age threshold for contract servicemen is 40-45 years, which means that after reaching it they should resign.

According to him, many healthy and in good physical shape males aged 40-45 with extensive military experience, want to be recruited as contract servicemen and serve their homeland, but cannot because of the age qualification.

He said this in view his party initiated legislative changes to raise the age threshold for contract servicemen up to 63 years, but would not oppose to reducing it to 55 before the second and final reading.

He said that war veterans with experience of active involvement in hostilities and appropriate professional skills should be given the opportunity to engage in military service.

Deputy Defense Minister Arman Sargsyan noted that the ministry has reservations on the proposed age threshold, however is considering now raising it.-0-