Armenia’s National Assembly has fully adopted, in the second reading, a draft law reducing the term of compulsory military service from 24 months to 18 months (1.5 years), a 6-month reduction. The legislation, approved on an urgent basis with 65 votes in favor, four against, and 20 abstentions, will apply exclusively to citizens drafted into the Armenian Armed Forces starting January 1, 2026, and will not affect those already serving.
During the first reading, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan said he saw no injustice in the proposal, stating: “It is very fair. Our dear soldiers and their parents, whose children are currently serving, should approach this with understanding because this concerns future conscripts. The reduction of mandatory military service for enlisted personnel has become possible thanks to continuous efforts in recent years to expand the appeal of contract-based military service. These include the ‘Defend the Homeland’ program, the implementation of a professional sergeant system, the certification system, and more.”
The Defense Ministry justifies the proposal by stating that the six-month reduction in compulsory service is made possible through the expansion of contract-based military service, with concrete steps already taken to support this shift. However, opposition figures have raised concerns about the reform.
Anna Grigoryan, a member of the Armenia Alliance (Hayastan Dashinq) parliamentary faction, described the reduction as a pre-election move. During previous discussions, she argued that aside from shortening the service term, no additional measures have been implemented. “If the mandatory service period is reduced based on the resources of contract soldiers, under what conditions are they serving? A patrol officer working in the center of Yerevan is paid more than a contract soldier,” Grigoryan said, criticizing the law.
Citizens drafted for compulsory military service during the 2025 winter conscription will serve a term of 18 months. The reduction will not affect those already performing compulsory military service as of January 1, 2026.
