Every Generation Fights for Independence: Onik Gasparyan

The Chief of the General Staff of the RA Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Onik Gasparyan, has sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of Independence Day:

“Dear compatriots, devoted friends in military affairs, servicemen, today is one of the most important holidays of our country – Independence Day. Independence has been a cherished aspiration for our ancestors, our grandfathers, and our parents for centuries, and, unfortunately, it has not been inherited from generation to generation; therefore, every generation has fought its struggle and contributed its share, sometimes achieving incredible victories, and at other times suffering losses and being deprived of significant portions of our homeland.

In the 1990s, when there was a life-and-death struggle to preserve this small piece of homeland we received from the sea to sea Armenia, we proved that we deserved and must have our independent state, the Motherland of all Armenians worldwide. We, the military personnel, understand very well that we are the guarantors of independence today, we are the keepers of our collective achievements over the centuries, and while holding and defending every centimeter of our homeland, we know that the looks of our ancestors, the hopes of our parents and children are directed towards us. And this is not a burden, not a weight, it is a force that strengthens our will, a pride for which we spare nothing.

It is undeniable that we will live, act, and create in an independent country, making it more prosperous, powerful, and protected day by day. Every centimeter of Armenia and Artsakh is our homeland, from our home to the positions located at the borders, and we will continue to stand firm and unyielding, never allowing our ancestral land to shake beneath the feet of an Armenian.”