Prime Minister Pashinyan told lawmakers at the parliamentary select committee probing the 2020 Second Nagorno Karabakh War that his administration has been focused on modernization of the military since the very beginning not because they thought that war was inevitable, but because they thought that increasing combat readiness of the army would significantly improve Armenia’s negotiation positions.

He reminded that his administration made significant decisions on increasing combat readiness from 2018 to 2020, salaries of servicemembers were raised and major arms acquisitions were carried out.

“From 2018 until the start of the 44-day war, in other words in two years and four months, the government of Armenia spent around 608 billion drams for acquiring weapons and military equipment. For comparison, from 2008 until May of 2018, meaning in ten years and four months, the previous authorities had spent 354 billion drams for that purpose. Meaning, in two years we implemented nearly the double of what was acquiried in ten years,” Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan said that his administration has never saved money on defense and will continue to ensure whatever is needed for the military.