Artsrun Hovhannisyan: We Plan Serious Work on Military Education (EXCLUSIVE)
On the 26th anniversary of the Armenian Army "Armedia" IAA talked to the Spokesperson of the RA Defense Ministry Artsrun Hovhannisyan.
- Mr. Hovhannisyan, how would you assess 2017 in terms of army building and strengthening the army defense capability? What were main priorities?
- In 2017, a lot has been done both to increase the combat readiness of the troops, as well as to strengthen the frontline. Today we have stronger borders, which can be noticed even by non-specialists. Army building is a permanent process and the progress is noticeable this year.
Besides the fact that the frontline is technically quite well re-equipped, serious work has been done in the direction of strategic projects, which will have not short-term but in-depth results.
In general, a lot has been done in the direction of personnel policy in terms of strengthening "I Have an Honor" and "It Is Me" projects (they are currently at an active stage of discussion), as well as improving military education institutions, which will have a very big impact on the general combat readiness of Armed Forces in 5-10 years. Among those institutions is Monte Melkonian Military School, which has exclusive results today. In addition bases were laid for the creation of a united military university - a memorandum was signed for the unification of Armenak Khanperians Military Aviation University and Vazgen Sargsyan Military University, with the aim to make big investments and changes to have powerful, progressive and modern military university.
Thus, a lot was done in 2017 and I think it was a year full of success and achievements.
- At the end of 2017 "Law on Defence" was adopted. Can we see the positive results of this law in 2018?
- Of course, at the same time there are things, which cannot have immediate results. We already have 150 applicants for "It Is Me" project, and for a pilot project I consider it to have an unprecedented result. However, I should mention that we have expectations from it as we will feel the real impact of "It Is Me" project in 2018-2019. The results of the project "I have an honor" will come later, because it demands longer processes.
- What will be the priorities of work for RA MoD in 2018?
- As you know we have developed 7-year plan for the development, modernization of the army and according to that plan we have concretely fixed steps also for 2018. In 2018, sub-legislative acts will be adopted and based on them work will be conducted. We have serious plans also for military education both for schools as well as for the reforms in military academies. Along with this, let us not forget also our arming rates. We get equipped year by year, gain new military equipments; our combat readiness grows in all ways.
- What is your wish on the Day of Army?
- First of all I congratulate all of us. This is a national holiday, national in the wide sense for Armenians in homeland and abroad. It is very important, as an Armenian soldier, Armenian army in this or that way protects all Armenians. This is a reason for pride. We have long dreamed to have army, and we have it today. We have strong army, which is becoming stronger year-by-year,
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