We are indebted to our heroic martyrs. President of the Republic Armen Sarkissian’s message on the occasion of the Army Day

Dear compatriots,

This year, the Army Day is of particular importance. We are marking it in a state of emergency for our country and nation: a difficult post-war situation, various crises and heaviest losses.

Once again, I bow my head to the ever-living memory of all our martyrs who died defending our Homeland and freedom.

I wish recovery to all our injured heroes.

I extend my support to all the families, waiting day and night for their captive or missing sons and relatives.

Today, more than ever, we must use our minds and deeds first of all to strengthen and support our army.

We need programmatic-conceptual approaches and radical steps from reorganization to re-equipment, taking into account the advancement of modern military art and technologies, also geopolitical tendencies.

However, even the most modern weapons cannot bring forth the wished result

if we have no courage to admit the mistakes made and be ready for fundamental changes,

if we do not recover the honour of the officers and the respect towards military service,

if we do not have a program and the will to carry it out,

if we do not stop looking for enemies among us, having left the external ones aside,

if we are not united and consolidated as a state and society, as one nation in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.

We are indebted to our heroic martyrs.

Our army, like our state and the entire nation, is going through trials. But we have more than once been able to turn the ordeal into a victory. And that, first of all, owing to our army.

Long live the Armenian army!

Glory to our heroes!