Newspaper claims Armenian authorities fail to manage military training camps

According to the Armenian daily Hraparak, military training camps have become a headache for the government and an unmanageable process.

Caliber.Az reports citing the paper's claims that although the system has been operating for several years, Defence Minister Suren Papikyan has complained that they are unable to control and properly implement the process.

"The issue was discussed yesterday during a closed session in parliament, and Papikyan expressed hope that the holding of training camps and the necessary number of participants in the exercises will be ensured when the amendments to the law come into force, according to which the notifications on appearing at the military commissariat to participate in training camps will be considered valid from the moment of their publication on the relevant state website.

The issue of tougher criminal penalties for those who dodge training exercises was also discussed, which would also encourage others not to evade military training. The militia law was also on the agenda. According to our information, the Ministry of Defence of Armenia intends to change the name and the concept of militias by legally defining the term "militia" as the concept of participation of citizens in the armed defence of the Republic of Armenia voluntarily in the event of an armed attack on the Republic of Armenia, or imminent danger to the Republic of Armenia or military actions. This will be implemented on a territorial basis, for example, citizens from Ararat (Develi - ed.) will be gathered in one battalion, from Armavir (Sardarabad - ed.) in another, and so on, forming militia units under the General Staff of the Armed Forces," the report says.