YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The city-wide march led by caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan concluded tonight in downtown.

Speaking to the crowd of supporters, Pashinyan said he is signaling the beginning of a non-violent, velvet economic revolution in Armenia.

“Today we carried out the longest and most longest lasting procession in the history of the third Republic of Armenia,” he said. “Our march lasted 9 hours and 25 minutes, and 37,5 kilometers in one day. What did this all symbolize: First, with this we once again showed that our will is stronger than stone, and our spirit knows no surrender, and no one and nothing will stop us on the pathway of building a free and happy Armenia because we enjoy our people’s confidence, our people’s mandate, and we, with the power of the people, will lead Armenia toward freedom, development, happiness, as long as our people will want it. Today we saw thousands of citizens, we greeted thousands of citizens, we looked them in the eye, we received the blessing of thousands of citizens. Second, essentially, to some extent this was a path of atonement, because for already six months we are leading Armenia in the status of government and power. This was a procession of atonement for all our possible mistakes and errors. This was also a procession of atonement in respect of all those citizens who in any way got bitter in this period, who experienced any kind of disappointment during this period.

But not only was this a procession, but also a unique pilgrimage in the streets of the capital Yerevan. With this pilgrimage, we reiterated our commitment to the values of the democratic, non-violent, velvet revolution that took place in Armenia.

We showed we are committed to this path, and nothing will force us to deviate from it. The revolution began when I, authorized by you and our political team, declared on April 16 in the France Square [Yerevan] that a non-violent, velvet, democratic revolution is beginning in Armenia, and that’s exactly what happened.

Here and now I would like to herald that a democratic, non-violent, velvet economic revolution is beginning in Armenia, with the results of which Armenia will truly become an economically developed, high tech, industrial, prosperous country, a country of free people, a country of powerful people,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan, Cabinet members and a crowd of supporters marched through entire Yerevan city today, and concluded the procession in Republic Square.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan