We Will Not Conduct Military Operations for Artsvashen and Other Armenian Territories: Pashinyan

Since 2018, funding for science in Armenia has increased by 2.8 times, or 180%. This was stated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during his concluding speech at the discussion of the draft budget for 2026 in the National Assembly on November 13.

“The average salary of scientists has increased by 3.2 times, or 220%, compared to the last few years. And they have come here to mourn the science. There is an order placed in the military-industrial system worth 171 billion drams. Returning to weapons and military equipment, this discourse that our problem is not combat readiness but defense capability indicates that we have no issues to solve outside our internationally recognized territory; if all of this is not coordinated, it is a catastrophe for Armenia. And they want to constantly push and provoke us there. We have not deviated and will not deviate from the agenda of peace, which is our obligation before our people. Yes, we will speak exclusively about defense capacity,” he declared.

Pashinyan reiterated his position that there will be no military operations for Artsvashen and other Armenian territories: “Because there is no need for that. They say, ‘What, it’s a paper, it has been signed, and that one is also preliminarily signed.’ People, have you forgotten that last October the National Assembly ratified the paper signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which now has the highest legal force in both countries? That is peace. It has been enacted with ratified force.”