Azerbaijan mulls changes in conscription system

Azerbaijan’s First Deputy Speaker Ziyafat Asgarov clarified the question of the possibility of transition to a system of conscription twice a year.

"Taking into account that conscription is performed four times a year and that military service lasts 18 months; it means that there are soldiers from six different conscriptions in the army, as it was noted in the discussion with military experts. It means that during each new conscription sixth or 16.6 percent of the personnel changes. If you keep the 18-month period of military service and announce the conscription twice a year, then there will be soldiers from three conscription serving. In other words, a third or 33.3 percent of staff will be renewed in each conscription. So, there would be only two-thirds, or 66.6 percent of professionally trained soldiers serving in the army, which is contrary to the current law,” he said yesterday.

Based on the relevant laws, 75 percent of soldiers must be prepared to conduct combat operations. In a system of two conscriptions we receive maximum 66.6 percent of professionally trained soldiers. The practice of conscription twice a year will be possible, if serving period is extended to 24 months, Asgarov said. "Of course, members of parliament won't agree with term of 24 months. Some of them even offer to reduce the length of military service to one year," Asgarov said.


/Trend/