Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan presented his Civil Contract party’s manifesto on education programs, military reforms, and the delimitation process with Azerbaijan to voters on Wednesday at a campaign event for the June 7 election in Aragatsotn Province.

He announced that the government’s flagship project to build and renovate 300 schools and 500 kindergartens across the country will soon be completed.

“By the end of this year, we will complete the 300 schools and 500 kindergartens program, and immediately launch the construction of the next 300 schools,” he said.

Pashinyan said the government also plans to build an additional 100 kindergartens in communities where there is a need.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the voluntary teacher certification program, saying it has enabled teachers’ salaries to double.

He added that in the next stage of the program, teachers who have already been certified will be able to retake the certification process, with the potential to raise their base salaries to as much as 300,000 drams, including bonuses.

The Prime Minister also spoke about ongoing reforms in the military.

“Today, we have privates in our military receiving a salary of 700,000 drams,” Pashinyan said.

He said that under the Homeland Defender volunteer service program, thousands of young people serve as contract soldiers and earn up to 600,000 drams while continuing to live with their families.

Pashinyan said that through this process, Armenia has entered a concrete path toward building a professional army.

He called on citizens to attend the military parade scheduled for May 28 at Republic Square in Yerevan to see the weapons acquired in recent years and the changes that have taken place in the armed forces.

At the same time, the Prime Minister stressed that the reforms are aimed at peace, not war.

“We are not preparing for war through army reforms; we are preparing for peace,” he said.

According to Pashinyan, a strong and capable army is necessary so that Armenia is not seen as an attractive target for aggression.

“We must ensure that our country is never, ever, ever attractive for aggression; on the contrary, it must be clear that no aggression can be carried out against our country,” he said.

The Prime Minister also spoke about the delimitation process with Azerbaijan, stating that the issue of occupied territories should be resolved through border delimitation.

Pashinyan said that the regulation on the joint activities of the Armenia–Azerbaijan border delimitation commissions, which has already been ratified in both countries, has legally binding force and is based on the principles of the Alma-Ata Declaration.

“De jure, these issues have already been resolved,” Pashinyan said.