Armen Sarkissian makes call for public solidarity in keynote parliament speech

The governing coalition’s presidential nominee on Wednesday delivered a keynote address at the National Assembly to introduce his political platform and vision for the country's development.

Thanking the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun (ARF-D) for a high degree of trust and support, Armen Sarkissian said he considered and appreciated also the other political forces' opinion before making his final decision to be a candidate for the fourth President of Armenia.

He noted that over the past 30 years since the launch of the national-liberation movement, Armenia managed to build an independent state, driven by honest and patriotic ambitions.

“The national-liberation campaign launched 30 years ago was really unique – not ever seen, or even heard about, before. We all then pursued a single dream, i.e. – to extend our support to the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) people’s campaign [for justice]. We were Soviet [people] but had our dream - as citizens of a republic not yet accomplished at the time. The movement was initially aimed at the liberation and defense of the people of Artsakh but it later turned into a campaign for the independence and state-building of the Republic of Armenia,” he said.

Highly appreciating Armenians' victory in the Artsakh liberation war, Sarkissian said he finds that the nation should be highly proud of the success and owe much to its Army for the historic landmark.

“It is the kind of army which does not lag behind the militaries of many European states with tenfold higher state budgets. Those 26 years belong to all of us - not only the Armenian citizens, but also the people of Artsakh, and the Diaspora. Therefore, I believe we must spend the coming 26 years remembering about those victories. We are facing new realities today, i.e. – the implementation of constitutional reforms, which are really of a historic importance.”

Sarkissian said he believes that the national campaign saw a higher degree of dedicatation in the early period of independence 26 years ago. “The society was less polarized between the rich and poor. Our state is more powerful and really richer today, but it is also polarized as we are facing poverty and social injustice - side by side with all our achievements and difficulties,”  he  said.

Sarkissian also made calls for public solidarity and dialogue.  

“We must be intolerant to injustice, fraud and corruption, and never allow this situation to disrupt our solidarity,” he said.

The politician also stressed the importance of the civil society, considering the citizen’s status an absolute value for the state.

He further expressed his concerns over emigration, calling for a due government attention to the problem.

“The negative phenomena we are required to overcome – from corruption to intolerance, etc. – will not be sufficient. There are positive steps which do not largely require high investments or even government decisions. So why don't we use our patriotism at this moment todayinstead of [waiting until the Genocide anniversary in] April. We can visit [the second and third largest cities of] Gyumri and Vanadzor, as well as Artsakh every week-end, taking with us also compatriots from the Diaspora,” he added.

Summing up his speech, Sarkissian promised to work honestly and openly, and to invest his best efforts in the country’s development and prosperity (in case of being elected). “I will be someone who will fulfill his obligations as the President of Armenia but also and more importantly - a citizen in this country. My presidency will not be limited to this parliament; I will be the president of the Armenian people to represent, in a way, also the interests of the Armenians of Artsakh. I will be a president enjoying not only real but also moral support. I will do everything within my power to be the president of the huge Armenian Diaspora to realize our vision of [national] unity and united our country into a single nation and a single people governed by one president. We are small state but [can be] an international nation. I am confident that a right planning of steps can help us make the 21st century ours,” he added.