YEREVAN.- It’s not a secret that today we have a qualitatively different Army equipped with the latest weapons and technologies, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in his congratulatory speech on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the Armenian Army at Yerablur Military Pantheon .
“The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia are the shield of country and our pride. Our Army, being the reliable guarantor of our people’s security, is also a very important component of regional stability.
We know what it means the absence of statehood and regular army and we also know how much we have paid for that. The existence of own army for the people who faced hardships has a unique perception.
Our Army is a nationwide army which since its establishment feels the love and respect of the people, enjoys the people’s trust and unconditional support. I am confident that in the future as well the Republic of Armenia and the people will cherish their firstborn," Serzh Sargsyan noted.
The President also noted that they are the happy generation which, after a long pause, saw the revival of the Armenian Armed Force, saw its strengthening and development.
"We are the generation which not only saw, but participated in and recreated that Army. Due to historical circumstances, but in a more accurate formulation, due to the war unleashed by Azerbaijan, the Artsakh liberation war, we started to construct the building our independent statehood from self-defense. The Army became the core of our newly-independent Armenian statehood.
Our volunteers, later already the soldiers and officers passed a glorious military path putting the foundations of today’s Army. This festive Day is a chance to once again thank our soldiers and officers for carrying out their mission with dedication.
It’s not a secret that today we have a qualitatively different Army equipped with the latest weapons and technologies. But we continue and will continue consistently increasing the combat readiness of our Army. For this purpose a 7-year Army modernization program has been adopted which we will implement in accordance with the timetable. I personally will spare no efforts for our Army to become more modern and more powerful.
Today we are in Yerablur. On this sacred day it’s our duty to bow our heads to the memory of heroes who gave us life and freedom at the expense of their lives. We share the grief of families and relatives of the fallen soldiers. We call on the generations to always keep their memory alive, the meaning of this important holiday of the Armenian people.
Eternal glory to our heroes. Live long the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia!” the President summed up.
