During the heavy days of the 44-day struggle waged for the very existence of Artsakh and the Armenian people, the Armenian army and our brave soldiers heroically stood against the vast army of our historic enemy, the terrorist mercenaries, and their ultra-modern weapons. They fought tenaciously, they fought selflessly unto death, to defend the borders of the homeland, the ancestral land. With a fearless and combative spirit, with heroic deeds and conscious self-sacrifice, the entire Armenian nation rallied around the Armenian soldier who took the path to immortality, and the whole world testified with admiration to his invincible spirit.
A month has already passed since the end of the Artsakh war and the signing of the trilateral agreement to cease hostilities, and it must be recorded with pain that the territorial losses stipulated by that agreement, the heavy toll of our casualties in the 44-day war, the pain of loss, and the unspeakable damages have stirred the souls of the Armenian people; feelings of disappointment, helplessness, and uncertainty about the vision of the future have created states of confusion and doubt among the public. Internal political tension has become evident in the homeland, placing our state before new dangers.
The gravity of the moment demands that we demonstrate awareness, vigilance, and a spirit of unity, in order to eliminate this unhealthy and destructive atmosphere of mutual accusations, distrust, and indignation prevailing under the aforementioned circumstances, especially when the graves of our victims are still fresh, the flowers have not withered, and the tears have not dried. Moreover, we have the as-yet unresolved issue of the return of missing persons and prisoners of war, and soldiers still on the front lines.
The victory the people recorded in Armenia in the spring of 2018, the path to genuine democratization it opened, and the implementation of the principles of the right to live with dignity, justice, and equality before the law, initiated positive changes in the homeland. Regardless of any arrangement for a change of government in the near or distant future, that process of reforms must continue at all costs.
Today, in view of this grave and perilous situation, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party sees the path to emerging from the current crisis situation with the least possible upheaval and minimal loss exclusively through constitutional means, in conditions of national solidarity and prudence, when the people’s right to make decisions is secure and guaranteed.
Two years ago, in light of the imperatives of that day, the people elected the current government. Today, however, the homeland and the entire Armenian people find themselves before an unforeseen, dangerous, and crisis situation; therefore, it would be proper for Pashinyan, in order to continue his mandate to lead, to seek a vote of confidence from the people.
As the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, we come to record that, particularly at this stage, our people need reassuring and immediate solutions, which shall become the anchor for future undertakings. Therefore, we emphasize once again that all of us are required to be restrained, vigilant, and to believe in the tolerant spirit of our people, through which we shall be able to solve today’s tasks with a renewed spirit.
As a sign of respect and gratitude to our fallen heroes, today we have a moral obligation to place the Homeland above all else and to redefine the concepts of Patriotism and National Devotion, so that they move beyond the purely emotional realm, cease to be mere slogans, become grounded in realistic perspectives, and transform into the tireless daily work of nation-building.
On behalf of:
THE CENTRAL BOARD OF THE ARMENIAN DEMOCRATIC LIBERAL PARTY
Raffi Balian | Secretary
Mike Kharapyan | Chairman
