He snapped on Monday at a male journalist who asked him to explain why Levon Kocharian has not served in the Armenian armed forces unlike most of his peers.
“My son is a very talented boy,” Kocharian said. “If you had as much knowledge as he, you wouldn't serve either.”
The remark sparked an uproar from not opposition and public figures who accused Kocharian of denigrating young men drafted to Armenia’s armed forces. Health Minister Anahit Avanesian added her voice to the criticism. In a social media post, Avanesian said Armenian soldiers are also “worthy and bright.”
Kocharian responded by saying that he did not mean to question their intelligence. He claimed that he only wanted to emphasize just “how much education and scientific activity are valued by Armenian law.”
“I regret that my response has given rise to disagreements and speculation, for which I apologize,” he wrote on Facebook.
Kocharian’s son qualified for his exemption after receiving a postgraduate degree in 2020 only one year after completing his postgraduate studies during which he was eligible for military service deferment. The opposition-linked media outlet Yerevan.today reported at the time that the Armenian Defense Ministry extended the deferment in 2019 on suspicous health grounds.
Earlier this year, another senior pro-government lawmaker, Hripsime Hunanian, declared on the parliament floor that Armenian male students enrolled in foreign universities deserve to avoid military service because Armenia needs “not only soldiers but also smart heads.” Hunanian resigned as chairwoman of the parliament committee on healthcare following a storm of criticism on social media provoked by her statement.