The National Assembly has passed in the first reading the government-proposed amendment to the Law on Military Service and the Status of Servicemen, which reduces the current 24-month mandatory conscription term for rank-and-file soldiers to 18 months.

This change will apply to citizens conscripted after January 1, 2026.

The reduction has been made possible thanks to ongoing efforts to enhance and expand the appeal of contractual military service in recent years.

Parliament also approved in the first reading the draft law On Universal Health Insurance, which will come into force on January 1.

According to Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan, the new system will eventually include all citizens of Armenia, though it will not fully cover all individual medical needs. The system focuses on preventing and effectively treating the most common and deadly diseases.

In the first phase, the insurance program will include several groups:

• individuals under 18,
• people aged 65 and above,
• citizens aged 18–65 with a disability status or functional limitation,
• and socially vulnerable individuals with a score of 28 or higher in the social assessment system.