Pashinyan calls for minimizing military service restrictions in Armenia

On December 19, during a government meeting, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made a strong case for revisiting the country's military service restrictions, suggesting that they should be minimized to allow greater inclusion.

Pashinyan emphasized that many types of military service are compatible with various physical limitations and illnesses, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

"When we talk about military service, we only envision the use of heavy weapons. The army is a very large organism, and there are all kinds of services, even office-based ones. We need to reconsider this attitude. Not every illness should be a restriction for military service. There may be limitations depending on the nature of the service due to this illness. We need to clearly state that restrictions on conscription in the Armenian army should be minimized," Pashinyan explained, despite never having served in the military himself.

He also addressed a pressing issue within the army, where individuals who wish to join the contract service face obstacles due to medical conditions. "A person wants to serve, but due to the list of these diseases, the Ministry of Defense is unable to sign a contract and accept them for contract service," Pashinyan said.

In another noteworthy comment, Pashinyan revealed a critical gap in Armenia's legislation regarding the acceptance of people with disabilities into the Rescue Service. "It has been revealed that our legislation, under no circumstances, allows people with disabilities to be accepted into the Rescue Service," he noted.

Pashinyan pointed out that some roles within the army could be performed effectively by individuals with disabilities. "Today, there are types of service in the army that can be effectively performed by a person in a wheelchair, with limited mobility. Why not do this? On the one hand, it will allow people with disabilities to fully utilize their abilities, and on the other hand, it will enable them to fully integrate into social life," he assured.