President Vahagn Khachaturyan’s congratulatory message on the occasion of Republic Day

I cordially congratulate my compatriots on Republic Day.

Our way to independence was complicated and full of obstacles. Having been a state for thousands of years, Armenia has been deprived of independence for centuries, withstanding the enemy incursions and invasions. But we have always cherished the dream of independence and statehood, bringing it to life on May 28, 1918.

On that day, May 28, the Armenian statehood was reborn and, most importantly, it happened thanks to our efforts, the efforts of the Armenian people. For the first time in centuries, we relied on ourselves and won under unimaginable conditions. And so was in 1991, when Armenia got independent from the Soviet Union. We, again, relied only on ourselves and achieved victory in the most difficult conditions.

The birth of the First Republic of Armenia is one of the turning points in our history. And we always ask ourselves, whether Soviet Armenia and today's free and independent Armenia would have existed, had the First Republic not been established thanks to the incredible efforts of the Armenian nation. However, regardless of the answer to this question, one thing is clear: the First Republic, the Soviet Armenia, and the path taken by today’s Armenia are our history, and we should not only study it, but also learn from it.

And today, our task is to develop our Motherland, make it a strong, competitive and safe country and unite around national aspirations and goals. The development of our country's economy, the strengthening of borders, the strengthening of statehood, and the tomorrow's happy and safe Armenia depend on the effective and creative work of each of us. And for that, we need solidarity and unity.

On this festive day, I wish all of us sound health, vigor and prosperity for the sake of our beloved Motherland, the Republic of Armenia.