According to Nikol Pashinyan, when a person says that he/she is “from Van,” it should not be viewed as a patriotic stance, but rather as a reflection of imperial patriotism.

“I will not hesitate to say that this is a manifestation of Stalinist patriotism,” Pashinyan said during today’s government session.

He also rejected claims that Armenia enjoyed peace prior to 2020.

“We had a frozen conflict, a postponement of war at the expense of our sovereignty, independence, freedom, and development,” Pashinyan noted.

According to him, the government has now brought Armenia “to a harbor of peace,” and society must adapt to this reality. He stressed that calming down means settling in, restoring order, and transitioning to a stable, long-term mode of living.

“That is, to switch to a permanent residence regime. Otherwise, if we turn the wheel of return in our region, the ‘big piece will remain the ear,’ and we know who will suffer the most,” Pashinyan declared.

He added that the present moment marks a significant historical achievement, which he plans to address in more detail in a month.

“This must not be sacrificed to the interests of superpowers,” Pashinyan concluded.