VIDEO. We Must Overcome Time and Its Burden: Nikol Pashinyan

After a two-month hiatus, the Government held a session today for the first time. The meeting began with a minute of silence in memory of the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the homeland. This is also the first session of the renewed composition of the Government. There have been changes in the Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Education and Science, Emergency Situations, and Labor and Social Affairs. A change in the Minister of Economy is also expected. The Prime Minister thanked the recently resigned ministers for their work and wished success to the newly appointed heads of departments.

The Prime Minister began the meeting with a special speech. “We are living in extremely difficult times. This time is made heavier by the fact that many of our compatriots, many sisters and brothers are no longer with us. But our imperative and mission are as follows: we must live through these difficult times and overcome time and its burden. I want to reiterate, as the Prime Minister of Armenia, that I take full responsibility for the current situation. But I also realize that I am responsible not only for what has happened so far but also for future developments. Ensuring external and internal stability and security, and implementing the road map I published are absolute priorities and necessities, and all our efforts should be directed towards that,” the Prime Minister noted, adding that the Government has already adopted two measures to support the population of Artsakh, and will adopt as many measures as necessary.

The restoration of the war-affected communities in the Syunik and Gegharkunik regions will also be a focus for the Government, and it will be implemented similarly to work done in the Tavush region.

“Carrying out search operations for the missing and exchanging prisoners is an absolute priority. We are working on these issues on a daily basis. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of this work depends not only on us. The social protection guarantees for the families of the deceased, persons with disabilities, and other groups and citizens affected by the war are on our urgent to-do list,” Pashinyan emphasized.

Even in such a difficult period, a guarantee of the further continuity of reforms must be established, and its inclusion and agenda must be expanded due to emerging new challenges. In parallel to all this, there should be a process of uncovering, clarifying, and analyzing the causes, and the Armenian public should receive clear answers about what happened and why.

“The truth must be accessible to the people, and they must have the opportunity to make decisions. Accordingly, our most important task is to maintain the sense and fact that the citizens of the Republic of Armenia are the owners of their own country and situation, and to institutionalize this circumstance. An Armenian citizen must be sure that he is the real owner of the situation, and he should build his future based on that feeling. The people must also determine with whom they will build that future,” the Prime Minister stated.

The creative potential of the Armenian people is inexhaustible, and among the most important tasks ahead is the concentration of that potential on building a new future.

“We must not allow the faith in that future to be extinguished. And our daily work must be directed towards strengthening that faith, consolidating it, and developing it,” Pashinyan concluded.