PARUYR HAYRIKIAN PROPOSES TO MARK MAY 28 AS INDEPENDENCE DAY, AND SEPTEMBER 21 AS NATIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION DAY
Noyan Tapan
May 29 2007
YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Methods of keeping the nation are
different during different historic periods of time, but the most
perfect among them is independence. Vahan Hovhannisian, an Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau member expressed such a
viewpoint at the May 26 discussion. In his words, independence is
both a longing and great responsiblity, as having no dependence from
anybody, the country had to choose its future itself. At present,
in V. Hovhannisian’s words, all the three components of the "free,
independent and united Armenia" slogan are connected with each other:
"if the people is not free, it can not keep its independence and
struggle for creating united Armenia.
Paruyr Hayrikian, the Chairman of the Azgayin Inknoroshum (National
Self-Determination) union, participating in the discussion mentioned
that ones using the "third republic" term are ignorant as Armenia
became independent and a republic only once, on May 28, 1918, then
it entered the USSR staff, and on September 21, 1991 it re-founded
the republic owing to national self-determination. Consequently,
as P. Hayrikian expressed a confidece, changes must be made in
the Armenian calendar, according to which, May 28 must be called
the Independence Day, and September 21 must be called the National
Self-Determination Day.