OSCE Office helps clarify army conscription procedures in Armenia

YEREVAN, 30 January 2008 - An Anti-Corruption Reception Centre, which is supported by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, hosted a presentation today of the latest legal and procedural developments relating to military conscription.

The event, organized by the non-governmental organization Soldier's Mother, helped inform potential conscripts - 11th grade high school students - about service in the army, military service waivers and medical procedures, and the danger of corruption. The Centre has been in operation since April 2007.

"This is the first in the series of awareness raising events planned by the Anti-Corruption Reception Centre for this year. We hope such events will further enhance public outreach and will be of help to our beneficiaries," said Marc Bojanic, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office.

Greta Mirzoyan, chairperson of Soldier's Mother and an army expert at the Anti-Corruption Reception Centre, said: "At the Reception Centre we received around 75 complaints and enquiries related to the conscription process. That was the reason why we decided to organize a series of presentations on the relevant procedures and legislation in the run-up to the spring conscription."

The event featured a contest for participants to demonstrate their knowledge of the army and conscription-related procedures. Three winners were awarded prizes.

The OSCE Office in Yerevan supported the establishment of a network of Anti-Corruption Reception Centres in Yerevan, the Gegharkunik and Lori provinces. Experts from an anti-corruption coalition of NGOs provide legal and procedural consultations and assistance to citizens on corruption-related violations in the army, public education, healthcare, public services, and on traffic police and drivers' rights, civil and administrative law.

The Centre operates at 39 Tumanyan str., apt. 1 in Yerevan. Consultation is also provided by telephone at 53-16-88.