Another statement discrediting the military has been made, and the military leadership has no right to remain silent: Abrahamyan

The head of the "Henaket" analytical center and former security advisor to the President of Artsakh, Tigran Abrahamyan, has addressed the recent statement by Anush Bekhloyan, a member of the “My Step” faction in the National Assembly, claiming that we have not had an army for 30 years.

Below is the statement presented:

“Today, Anush Bekhloyan, a representative of the ruling 'My Step' faction in the National Assembly, stated that 'we have not had an army for 30 years.' I do not know who this person refers to by saying 'we', but one thing must be noted: a representative of the political force led by the Prime Minister declares that for the last three decades we have not had and do not have an army.

Of course, I have no intention of conducting a serious analysis of this statement or of the mentioned subject; I only want to draw the attention of my media colleagues to the fact that this is being said by a representative of the authorities, and I ask them to direct inquiries to the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of the Armed Forces regarding this statement.

Once again, a statement has been issued from the political team of Nikol Pashinyan discrediting the army, the soldiers, and the military personnel, and the military leadership has no right to remain silent.

Onik Gasparyan, you, your deputies, a large number of department heads under your command, deputies, heads of divisions, commanders of military units and military installations have been performing the sacred duty of protecting the homeland for decades. Boys, understand that if you do not respond, you allow these individuals and those like them to constantly target and discredit our comrades, our fallen soldiers, and their deeds, then this is discrediting all of us and deals a blow to all the pillars symbolizing our statehood.

The situation is different when we, the experts, politicians, or simply concerned individuals react to this; it is another matter when you respond. As the Minister of Defense, wearing the epaulettes of a lieutenant general, having headed the Ministry of Defense about 20 years ago, do you have nothing to say, or do you prefer to remain silent and fulfill Pashinyan’s will and personal preferences?

I would like to highlight only one of the dangers posed by such a statement. Imagine a situation where a young person is preparing to be drafted into the army in the coming days, while another young person is applying to a military educational institution or intending to enter into contract service. A representative of the government states that there has been no army for 30 years; do you understand what signal is being sent to these individuals? This is a targeted political agenda aimed at dismantling the army, destroying the security of our country, and surrendering the country to the enemy.”