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Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan on Thursday participated in a solemn session of the collegium dedicated to the 108th anniversary of the Police at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the PM’s office said in a readout.
Before the session, PM Pashinyan and Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan laid flowers at the memorial plaque in the courtyard of the Police building and paid tribute to the memory of police officers who sacrificed their lives for the homeland.
At the meeting, the Prime Minister delivered a speech, congratulated police officers on their anniversary, and thanked them for their service. He noted that the police in Armenia have gone through different stages of establishment and development.
“The police is the backbone of the state, and this backbone must always be strong, as it is in the interests of all citizens.”
The Prime Minister noted that since independence, the police system has undergone turning points aimed at maintaining and strengthening law and order.
“When we started reforms in the police sector, it seemed like a fantasy to imagine having a patrol police fully equipped with modern equipment and devices.”
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of ongoing reforms in the sector, noting that “life and perceptions are changing rapidly, and everyday work must include an element of reform.”
The Prime Minister said that police work must provide social guarantees.
“Police work is highly complex, as it relates to the life and safety of both officers and the public. We must take all these factors into account. We are moving in this direction and guided by this logic. I believe we can consistently ensure these changes, strengthen and transform the Police, and continuously align the identity of the Police of the Republic of Armenia with modern requirements. In my opinion, we are moving in the right direction,” he said.
Regarding individual responsibility and leadership, PM Pashinyan noted that all police officers must see themselves as leaders. Wearing a police uniform itself reflects leadership within their area of responsibility. While leadership exists at different levels, each officer exercises it to their own degree.
On the occasion of Police Day, a group of employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs were awarded the Prime Minister’s commemorative medal and a letter of gratitude for their contribution to the protection of law and order.