Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia. On the occasion of the day, a message was sent by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan. We present it below.
«Dear people,
Dear compatriots,
Today marks the 32nd anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia. The Declaration adopted by the Supreme Council on 23 August 1990 states that the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic initiates the process of establishing an independent state.
That launched process was completed de jure with the independence referendum of 21 September 1991 and the recognition of the Republic of Armenia by the international community.
De facto, that process has not ended to this day, not because we do not have independence, but because independence is like health: even when you have it, you must take care of it every day.
The Government fights every day for the independence of the Republic of Armenia. For us, independence is security, and the international mechanisms that ensure it are cracking before our very eyes, and among the first, that crack was sadly expressed in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Independence is orderly relations with neighbours; although we have excellent relations with some of our neighbours, with others no significant progress is recorded in relations, because they demand too high a price from us, or else they consider that we are the ones demanding too high a price from them.
Independence for us is strong allied relations, but allies are not always only allied to you, but also to those who are allied against you.
Independence is a confrontation, and for the sake of our independence and statehood, we must have the will to confront ourselves, our history and our worldview. Independence is a mindset, a state-centric mindset, and the absence of this squanders sovereignty, security, and the future.
Independence is freedom, and in our understanding, the people have created an independent state to feel free and secure there. Independence is education, and as long as the education of every child living in the most remote village is not as accessible as in the centre of the capital, we must grieve for our future.
Independence is the rule of law, the supremacy of law and justice; respecting the law and not circumventing it must be a sign of distinction.
Independence is work, such work that must create and build and not squander and ruin.
Independence is like the biblical parable of the ten minas, whose meaning is the following: to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
And, therefore, let us have Independence, and we shall have Independence.
I congratulate us all on the occasion of 23 August»:
