The deputy-republican is sure that the wave of protest against the cancellation of the postponement of compulsory military service was provoked by the Soros foundation.
ArmInfo. Soros Foundation provided the organization Public Agenda with $ 20,000 to launch a struggle against the concept of the "Nation-Army" in Armenia. The deputy from the ruling Republican Party Hayk Babukhanyan stated this from the rostrum of the Armenian parliament.
According to him, the current wave of protest against the bill "On military service and the status of a serviceman," which involves the complete abolition of the deferment from compulsory military service for all young people who have reached the age of 18 and who do not have health problems incompatible with service in the army, is provoked namely the Soros foundation. The deputy also pointed to the fact that the activities of funds sponsored by Soros are banned in many countries, including the US.
It should be noted that several hundred students are already holding protests against this bill on the fifth day. Today, five of them (four of whom have already served in the army) went on a hunger strike to protest the document. The law on military service and the status of a serviceman, adopted on first reading, radically changes the procedure for receiving a postponement from military service with the purpose of studying. In accordance with it, only those citizens who conclude an agreement with the Ministry of Defense can undertake a postponement, undertaking to undergo military training during their studies, and upon completion of studies to serve in the army in the place specified by the Ministry of Defense for three years. Otherwise, they will be drafted into the army at the age of 18 years for a period of two years.
By the way, according to the draft law, persons who are recruited for military service, in addition to studying, can also use the right to defer for family reasons and health. Noteworthy in particular are the benefits provided in case of having children. In this case, according to the draft law, from those compulsory military service those young people who before the conscription can have two or more children, with the exception of the adopted ones, can be released. Another noteworthy point is that from the service in the army, those young people whose wife is pregnant with at least twins and whose gestational age is six months can be released. Parliament, today discusses the draft law "On military service and the status of a serviceman" in the second reading. Artak Zakaryan, Deputy Defense Minister, represents the bill in the parliament.