YEREVAN, MAY 28, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has addressed a message on the occasion of the Republic Day, the PM’s office told Armenpress.

The message reads:

“Dear compatriots,

I congratulate us all on Republic Day.

This holiday marks our nation’s unwavering will power to fight for independence and freedom. It embodies our people’s age-old desire to have an independent statehood.

The Armenian people faced a mortal danger in those days of 1918. Catastrophe seemed inevitable. We seemed on the verge of being deprived of our legitimate right to building sovereign statehood on our native land and living in our homeland. In the meantime, inspired by Aram Manukyan’s fighting spirit and immense will power, the people’s overwhelming strength enabled us to check the enemy’s advance, reinstate once and for all our inalienable right to sovereign statehood in the heroic battles of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa.

Dear compatriots,

The heroes of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Gharakilisa - Aram Manukyan, Tovmas Nazarbekyan, Movses Silikyan, Dro, Nzhdeh, Daniel and Poghos Bek-Pirumyans, Yazidi cavalry unit commander Djahangir Agha, the Armenian Army, militia, and the clergy became the builders of Armenia’s independence. The inhabitants of our border villages continue the noble cause of Aram Manukyan, Tovmas Nazarbekyan, Movses Silikyan, Dro, who are standing firm on their native land.

In difficult times, the Armenian people have always been able to unite, to be one fist, to mobilize all their forces for the sake of defense, sovereignty and statehood.

I am convinced that today we must act with the same spirit, from Yerevan to the border villages, as one family for the safety of our dear Homeland.

With sober and well-balanced decisions, we will be able to stand up for the defense of our state, our sovereignty, independence; we will not let the enemy achieve its goals. Our sovereignty and independence can never be at stake. And as Aram Manukyan said in the days of despair in 1918, “Let us all get down to work and we will have the upper hand!”

Resolving the current situation is a priority today, after which the Armenian people will undoubtedly embark on the path of building the country of our dreams. So let us get to work together!”