We Stand Firmly in Defense of Our Statehood, Sovereignty, and Independence: Message from Nikol Pashinyan

The Acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, delivered a message on the occasion of the Republic Day. Below is the message:

“Dear compatriots, I congratulate all of us on the occasion of Republic Day. This holiday symbolizes the unwavering will of our people to fight for independence and freedom. It embodies our people's centuries-old aspiration to have an independent state. During these days in 1918, our people stood before a catastrophic danger. It seemed that destruction was inevitable. It seemed that we would ultimately lose the right to establish a state on our native soil and live in our homeland. However, through the tremendous mobilization of the people's strength and under the leadership of the spirit and will of Aram Manukyan, the Armenian people were able to halt the enemy's assault and forever establish their unbreakable right to have a sovereign state in the heroic battles of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan, and Qarakilisa.

Dear compatriots, the heroes of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan, and Qarakilisa—Aram Manukyan, Tovmas Nazarbekyan, Movses Silikyan, Dron, Nazarbek, Daniel, and Poghos Bek-Pirimyan, along with the commander of the Yezidi cavalry squad Jhangir agha, the entire Armenian army, and the volunteers, along with the clergy who fought with weapons in hand—became the architects of Armenia's independence.

Today's Aram Manukyan, Tovmas Nazarbekyan, Movses Silikyan, Dron, and other heroes are all the inhabitants of our border villages who stand steadfastly without hesitation for their land and water. In difficult times, the Armenian people have always been able to unite, to be one fist, directing all forces for defense, for sovereignty, and for statehood. I am convinced that today we must act in the same spirit, from Yerevan to the border villages, as one family—for the sake of securing our beloved Motherland's safety.

With our sober and balanced decisions, we stand firm in defense of our state, sovereignty, and independence, and we will not allow the enemy to achieve its goals. Our sovereignty and independence cannot be the subject of discussion. And as Aram Manukyan said during the desperate days of 1918, ‘Towards work and action, and we will be the winners.’ The resolution of the current situation is our primary task today, after which, without a doubt, the Armenian people will walk the path of creating the Armenia of our dreams. Therefore, let’s go together towards work and action.”