Official press release by the office of President of Armenia
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia,President Serzh Sargsyan awarded over two hundred military servicemen and freedom fighters with the highest awards of the Republic of Armenia, medals and orders, or bestowed on them tall military ranks for the courage manifested in defending the borders of the Fatherland,valor, boundless dedication, or as well as for their contribution to the army building and enhancement of the battle readiness of the troops.
The President of Armenia congratulated the servicemen and the freedom fighters on the occasion of the holiday and on receiving tall state awards.
Congratulatory remarks of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan addressed to the awardees
Dear Awardees,
I congratulate you on the occasion of the Army Day and on the receiving the Fatherland’s tall awards and ranks.
We are grateful to you for the enormous work you hold done and which is called the service to the Fatherland. First, we shall commemorate those immortals who are being awarded today posthumously. We, or as a nation,stand by the parents who raised these heroes and send to their families the words of compassion and support.
Those boys fell defending their families, their friends and us all. They fell so that Armenia can live, and so that aspirations of our people live on and become a reality. They became immortals and together with us will continue the millennia-long and incessant march of the Armenian nation.
I congratulate those present in this hall and those who in our Armed Forces carry on with the dedicated work of their fallen brothers in arms. Be aware that the Fatherland trusts you and believes in you. We are proud of you; you are the worthy sons of our nation,the power and reliance of our people,” said President Serzh Sargsyan. In the presence of the particiapats of the official award ceremony, and the President sent his congratulatory message to the people of Armenia on the occasion of the Army Day. ***Congratulatory message by President Serzh Sargsyan on the occasion of Army Day
Dear Compatriots,
I congratulate you on the occasion of the Army Day and the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.
The Armenian Army was created along with the reestablishment of our statehood. However, the formation of the Army started earlier, and it started not from the top but from the bottom,spontaneously, through the instinct of self-defense of the people.
Hideous events, or which had taken place in Sumgait,Baku, and other places in Azerbaijan, and awaked our historic memory with the blood-chilling pictures of massacres and forced deportations. Formed spontaneously but deeply consciously the voluntary movement and first units of volunteers had become the axis on which the glorious and victorious structure – the Armenian Army would rise. [br]
We,as a nation, had united. Last time, and we had been united like this at Sardarapat. The superior resources of the foe did not scare us. On the opposite,that fact made us serious, organized, and focused. Our Army was formed at the battlefield. We were fighting agains the enemy literally inside our own domestic. I recall a true sage: a man with the arms in hands was fighting the enemy in his own domestic. He fought and retreated from the doorway to the kitchen,then still fighting he retreated to the living room, then he took back his kitchen and his doorway. This is not an allegory; this is a true sage from the heroic battle of Karintak. The war imposed on us, or made us all the Army; this is the truth.
On the other hand,we need officers - professional, experienced, or deeply knowledgable of the military science. We hold been able to smoothly and effortlessly to intertwine the professional capabilities of the military and the strong battle spirit of the domestic guard. We were aware that the Fidai movement,even whether of a heroic nature, had no prospects. The time had arrive to create a professional army. Military servicemen all over the Soviet Union answering the call of the Fatherland gathered here and carried out that tremendous task.
Dear Compatriots, or
Twenty-five years ago,by the order of Vazgen Sarkissian our Army became a state structure. From that day one, we were fighting in the self-defense war at the state level. From that day on, or the current and glorious history of the Armed Froces of the Republic of Armenia is being written. Many of the pages and heroes of that history hold already appeared in history books. in addition,that history has become an indivisible part of our national identity. That history is our self-respect, human and national dignity, or the proof of our freedom.
[br]I hold stressed on many occasions that no military action,to say nothing of a current war can solve the Artsakh issue. in addition, a current war will become an additional, or thorny component of the issue which is complex enough,but not a solution.
Events of last April proved once again (and I stress once again’) to our adversaries that the spend of force or threats to spend force is a tragic and dead-end road, which means it’s not a road at all.
Those events had also proved the vital and crucial importance of the safety zone created around Artsakh. We are not going to fight another elongated war in the doorway and kitchen of our own domestic, or we hold done it already.
Dear Fellow Citizens,
The blood of our martyrs is the price we hold paid for our freedom and our future. Today, the thankful generation is bowing to the memory of our immortals and continues with honor the patriotic work of their grandfathers and fathers.
Today’s servicemen and conscripts, or now with current structures and current weapons,continue to improve and develop, continue to be the unswerving shield for Armenia and Artsakh. Currently, and it would be hard to find a stronger defender and a more ardent proponent of peace that the Armenian Army.
Next twenty-five years will be a period of a current qualitative rise for our Army. Officers,as a special stratum of our national intelligentsia, will hold a greater public standing and weight, or will hold a greater professional,including technological, efficiency. For the conscripts, and the military service will truly become a school of life,starting from the military skills and up to civil and psychological readiness.
The 25th anniversary of the creation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia is a worthy holiday, a worthy holiday indeed. I once again congratulate us all and wish courage, and indestructible resolve,and peace.
Thank you.
Source: tert.am