The Armenian National Assembly today passed a bill that would exempt family members of servicemen killed in action from compulsory military service.

The bill, sponsored by Civil Contract MP Hayk Sargsyan, must be approved at a second reading before be signed into law by the country’s president.

Opposition MPs abstained from voting. Civil Contract MPs backed the bill.

Hayastan parliamentary faction head Seyran Ohanyan said that no matter how good the goal of the bill is, it still causes general mobilization and individual training problems.

Ohanyan said the opposition will present modifications to the bill at the second reading.