Armenia reforms security apparatus

The Armenian government has resolved to discontinue awarding the rank of lieutenant general in the National Security Service (NSS), as reported by Caliber.Az with reference to Armenian media.

This decision follows earlier amendments to the law “On Service in National Security Bodies,” transitioning the positions of the NSS director and deputies from military to civilian status, thereby eliminating the rank within the NSS system.

In a separate government decision, investigative units were removed from the NSS structure to consolidate investigative functions within the Investigative Committee of the republic. Consequently, the NSS budget for 2024 will be reduced by 187 million drams (approximately $480,000).

This means Armen Abazyan, the current head of the NSS, will likely be the last person to receive the rank of lieutenant general, a title he attained at the end of December 2023.