The “Hraparak” newspaper has reported on the implementation of a mandatory military service reform in Armenia by Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan. This reform has been in effect for 27 years, allowing civilians to be exempted from military service by paying a fee or serving a reduced time. However, there is a loophole in the banking system that allows individuals, such as military officers, to transfer large sums of money, like 15 million drams, and avoid military service. This practice, accepted by banks, hampers the regulation of legal tender inflow.

This loophole presents challenges for Armenians living abroad who wish to return to their country and pay a bribe of 15 million drams to avoid military service and receive a military discharge. These individuals argue that making these payments with money earned from years working abroad involves both regular and irregular sources of income that may be difficult to prove.

We recently brought this issue to the attention of Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan. He emphasized that there is no issue with banks if civilians declare that their money has been earned through legitimate work. Additionally, he mentioned that some banks do not accept requests for transfers of 15 million drams, giving citizens the option to use these banks instead. Furthermore, he assured us that he will soon provide data on the number of people who have taken advantage of this provision.