Pashinyan unveils details of May 28 military parade

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called on all citizens to attend the military parade that will take place in Yerevan’s Republic Square on May 28, Armenia’s Republic Day.

Pashinyan, who is currently on vacation and taking part in the election campaign ahead of the June 7 vote in Armenia, spoke about the parade during a meeting with residents of Yerevan’s Shengavit district.

“Those who have additional questions regarding the army will receive answers to many of them during that parade. Moreover, I have instructed that the military equipment should not simply pass through the square and leave. I said the equipment should enter Republic Square and continue along Tigran Mets Avenue, probably stretching as far as the railway station. Of course, there will be barriers on both sides so people do not get too close. And I instructed that citizens should be allowed to come, see and evaluate it,” the prime minister said.

He added that he expects Yerevan’s restaurants to be busy that day, because citizens attending the parade would likely want to celebrate afterwards “because they will see a completely different army.”

“But in order for us to make the army an instrument of peace rather than war, we say that Armenia’s army has no task beyond defending Armenia’s sovereign territory. We must record this as a national public agreement – that we will strengthen our defense capabilities by all possible means, but we will not have military objectives beyond Armenia’s sovereign border and we will not pursue an aggressive policy,” Pashinyan said.

According to the prime minister, the Armenian army will leave the country’s borders only in cases where it participates in peacekeeping missions under international agreements.

Armenia will hold a military parade on May 28, during which weapons acquired in recent years will be displayed.