Working visit of the President Armen Sarkissian to Tavush marz

President Armen Sarkissian has left today on a working visit to Tavush marz. President Sarkissian will visit border communities of Chinari, Aygedzor and Navour. Later, in Ijevan he will be hosted at the branch of the Yerevan State University and will visit production units of the marz.

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The working visit of the President of Armenia started from Chinari border community in Tavush marz. The President met and conversed with the residents who came to greet him. Observing a dance performance by the children of Chinari, the President invited them to visit the Presidential Palace on New Year.

President Sarkissian said that he had visited Chinari for the first time in his student years and had been particularly impressed with it the land’s nature and hospitality of the residents. “I want to thank you for being what you are – strong and attached to your land,” the President said addressing the villagers. “I would like to bow to the memory of the people of Chinari who gave their lives to defend our Fatherland. We think of you day and night, of the people who are on the border, live in difficult conditions, defend not only their families, make plans for their children, for these brilliant kids who have dreams.

I want you to assure you that you are not forgotten. It is very pleasing that among you I see today those who had left for Ukraine, Russia and then came back. One day, all will be back. You can take Fatherland with you, but through the years love and pain start to grow, fill your entire body and soul, and you want to come back. To the residents of Chinari, who are abroad, I am telling – come back. You have to share your success with your compatriots. We in Armenia - the presidential institute, the government, and the National Assembly, owe it to you because you are defending the best part our country – Chinari.”

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President Armen Sarkissian, who is in Tavush marz on a working visit, visited production units of the region.

In Navour community President Sarkissian visited Shamshadin Eco Meat corporate unit of agricultural production. High quality products are manufactured here and will soon be sold at the local markets. It was opened by the initiative of the Tavush Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and through the assistance of the European Union was recently modernized with a new equipment which allows to improve the quality of the production. “This region is famous for its excellent pork production. Pork is being produced here in accordance with the long ago established tradition existing in these villages. It means the traditions were not imported from Spain or Italy but are local technologies,” President Sarkissian said in his conversation with the journalists. He commended the fact that a resident of Navour, who had returned from Russia, with the assistance of the spiritual father has established a production line in his native village. “Wish is the first prerequisite for establishing a production line, and management skills. As a result, 75 people, mostly women, have jobs and a dignified living, they work and sustain their families,” the President noted. “I urge all fellow citizens who live abroad – in Russia, Kazakhstan, or America, to come back home. You are waited for in your own homes. By returning home and sharing a small part of your success with your fellow villagers and family, you can make a small change, can do a lot of work.

Our country, our soil is rich, our people are rich, rich in their spirit, diligence. No one will leave our villages – border or otherwise, if there are essential fundamentals such as a nice school, kindergarten, medical care, and employment. Certainly, it is critical for the kids to study for different occupations back home – physician, dentist, football player, or businessman. However, the most important thing is to remain attached to the land because it feeds not only them but the entire nation. This land deserves respect.”

Speaking about the tour of the Tavush villages, President Sarkissian told in particular, “I am very glad that 7 babies were born in Chinary, but I am waiting for the day when 12 will be born, then 27, 37. Because these people will not leave the village. In a sense, these are the people who constitute the core of our nation, and this is the land of their ancestors. They will not move away from this land even for one inch, no matter how difficult it will be. I saw no anguish in their eyes, they live happily on their land, and are confident that everything will be just fine. It means that we all have a duty to do everything so that they feel that we stand by them. It should be done not only through words or deeds but also through our physical presence.

Here I am today and I am really sorry that many of my friends and relatives in Yerevan, many of Yerevan residents are not with me. This exceptional nature is everything – fresh air, opportunity to breath freely, beautiful scenery on your right and left. It is wonderful, there are not many such beautiful places in the world, and the people are great, creative.

Armenia is also Gyumri, Lori, Tavush. I would like to urge all our friends and relatives to take their kids with them and on weekends rediscover your Fatherland. The message is the same for all our compatriots, regardless of where they live – in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Los Angeles, or Paris: come and discover this wonderful world which is your Fatherland, come and discover Chirany village.”

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At the conclusion of his working visit to Tavush marz, President Armen Sarkissian was hosted at the Ijevan wine and brandy factory.

During the tour of the factory, President Sarkissian familiarized with the production capacities and volumes of the factory. The factory is producing wine, fruit spirits, and brandy, while the grape is procured mostly at the territory of Tavush marz.

The management of the factory told the President of the accomplished works, export markets, and forthcoming projects.

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President Armen Sarkissian, who is in Tavush marz on a working visit, today together with his spouse Mrs. Nouneh Sarkissian visited the Ijevan branch of the Yerevan State University, met with the faculty and students.

President Sarkissian conversed with the students, responded to their questions and told about his impressions of visits to the border communities of the region. He also advised the young people and urged to use their time allocated for education efficiently.

“It is important that each of you is educated broadly. If you study mathematics and decide to stick to it, becoming a one-sided person, you will not fulfill what we as a nation, as a people, as a state are expecting from you. We expect you first and foremost to be comprehensively educated and honest, people of scruples,” the President noted.

The President said that he was impressed with his visit to the border communities of the marz and by strong-willed and hardworking, creative people holding strong to their land.

“Armenia is not just Yerevan. It is essential that you realize that it is quite possible to live outside big cities but still live a modern life. One can engage in husbandry, agriculture, use modern technologies, create competitive products and have a wonderful life in this wonderful place,” the President underscored. “Our goal is to make the life standard in villages and in cities similar, so that things available in Yerevan become available here too.”

President Armen Sarkissian and Mrs. Nouneh Sarkissian observed also the exhibition of the creative works of the University students.

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In the Aygedzor border community, President Armen Sarkissian visited a tropical garden created by Melis Babayan.

The 78-year old agrarian established a garden with unique tropic plants and trees. Side by side with apple and plum trees he grows kiwi, banana, and palm trees.

The President toured the garden, conversed with the dedicated gardener, inquired about the produce sales and wished him every success. “We met with Melis Babayan, who after spending part of his life away from his birthplace, came back and purchased a garden. This garden is a piece of art, it has our traditional trees, fruits, and vegetables,” President Sarkissian said in the conversation with the journalists and viewed as commendable that the gardener was trying to plant next to them, for instance, palm trees. “It carries a meaning,” the President said, “because reaching for impossible, one often gets unconventional results.”

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President Armen Sarkissian, who is in Tavush marz on a working visit, visited the production units of the marz.

President Sarkissian visited the Eco Garden Corporation located between Chinary and Aygedzor communities which procures and processes agricultural produce. The President toured the enterprise and familiarized with the production capacities. Director Samvel Markossian noted that the enterprise, which was founded in 2010, produces various preserves and exports the main bulk of its production to the Russian Federation. Eighty percent of the fruits and vegetables used in production is acquired from the local agricultural communities. The employees of the company come mostly from Chinary, Aygedzor, and Artsvaberd communities.