«Let us have Independence, we will have Independence» – Nikol Pashinyan delivers a message

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, has delivered a message on his Facebook page, stating:

“Dear people, dear compatriots, today marks the 32nd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia. On August 23, 1990, the Supreme Council adopted a Declaration which signifies the beginning of the process of establishing the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic as an independent state.

This process officially concluded with the independence referendum on September 21, 1991, and the recognition of the Republic of Armenia by the international community. However, de facto, this process has not yet reached its conclusion, not because we do not have independence, but because independence is like health; even if you have it, you must care for it every day.

The government is fighting every day for the independence of the Republic of Armenia. Independence means security for us, which the international frameworks ensuring it are visibly cracking, and unfortunately, the first manifestation of this crack was in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Independence entails regulated relationships with neighbors; although we have excellent relations with some of our neighbors, there has been no significant progress in our relations with others, as they demand a price that is excessively high from us, or they believe that we are demanding an excessively high price from them.

Independence for us means strong allied relations, but allies are not always only allied with you; they may also ally against you.

Independence confronts us, and for the sake of our independence and statehood, we must have the will to confront ourselves, our history, and our worldviews.

Independence is a mindset, a state-centric mindset, and its absence undermines sovereignty, security, and the future. Independence is freedom, and according to our understanding, the people created an independent state so that they could feel free and secure.

Independence is education; and as long as the education of every child living in the most remote village is not as accessible as that of those living in the center of the capital, we must grieve for our future.

Independence is the rule of law, the supremacy of law; respecting the law rather than circumventing it must be a symbol of superiority.

Independence is work; the kind of work that should create and build, not squander and spoil.

Independence resembles the biblical parable of the ten talents, the essence of which is this: to those who have, more will be given, but from those who do not have, even what they have will be taken away. Therefore, let us have Independence, we will have Independence.

I congratulate all of us on the occasion of August 23!”