Opposition MP criticizes Armenian defense minister's army remarks

Opposition Pativ Unem faction MP Tigran Abrahamyan has criticized Defense Minister Suren Papikyan’s recent comments on reducing the length of mandatory military service, calling them a “burst of honesty”.

In a televised interview on Friday, Papikyan said that the army “should be desirable and understandable” for society rather than resemble a prison.

“If Papikyan is hinting at non-regulatory practices within the army, it is a grave accusation against the ruling Civil Contract party, which has been in power for seven and a half years,” Abrahamyan wrote on Facebook.

He claimed that the proposed measure appeared aimed more at winning public approval than addressing the country’s actual security needs, suggesting it had clear pre-election motives.