Author: Hambik Zargarian

RA President Armen Sargsyan sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of the New Year and Christmas holidays.

“Dear citizens of the Republic of Armenia,

Dear compatriots around the world,

The historic year 2018 was a year of great changes, trials, expectations and hopes.

We witnessed the manifestations of the best qualities of our people: unity, cohesion, high moral and civic spirit.

Soon we will have a new parliament and a new government.
The success of their activities will largely depend on the citizens of Armenia. From the citizen’s support and his active participation in public, political, economic, cultural life.

Armenia can really become one of the brightest points of the earth in the application of innovative ideas, culture, science, economy and other fields.

However, that path will not be easy.

There will also be difficulties, often caused by factors beyond our control, including geopolitical realities.

And I wish all of us sobriety, organization, common sense, responsibility and tolerance.
These are the keys to success.

The security and sovereignty of Armenia and Artsakh, the just solution of the Artsakh issue will continue to be paramount in our lives.

We live with the deep awareness that, regardless of the place of our birth, we have one Motherland.

We must make that Motherland flourish with joint efforts, with the joint efforts of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.

We must take care of the pillars of national identity: our culture, education, spiritual and family values.

Our Holy Church plays a key role in this work.

We need to take more care of our historical and national heritage, our nature, village, city and our country in general.

Dear compatriots,

At this moment, I am with all of you in spirit and mind, next to all of you,
a soldier and an officer standing at the border, a doctor on duty in an ambulance and a hospital, a police officer on duty,
a fireman, a baker and a taxi driver, a peasant and a worker, a scientist, an artist and others.

I am especially concerned about families who are having a hard time.

Those who still don’t have a home, those who live in border settlements.

I worry about the wounded, the sick.

I wish you relief from worries.

May the doors of success open to each of you in the coming year.

Let every citizen of Armenia feel the positive breath of changes.

We should all be guided by the following motto: “Others have done it, so can we, no one in the world has done it, we will be the first.”

I wish peace to our homeland, health, success, well-being and happiness to our families, laughter and joy to children, and dignified rest to the elderly.

May each of you, your relatives, families, every citizen of Armenia, every Armenian in the world be able to dream and realize their dreams in the coming year.

Happy New Year.”

President of the Republic Armen Sargsyan today H.E. Garegin, together with the Second Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, RA National Assembly Speaker Ara Babloyan, participated in the reception organized for the representatives of the state administration system on the occasion of New Year and Christmas holidays.

As VERELQ was informed by the RA President’s office, President Sargsyan, congratulating those present, emphasized that 2018 was a special year for our country and people.

“It is a historic year in every sense of the word. If we think about how Armenians are characterized both in Armenia and abroad, we will record that they remember the image of a hardworking, honest person. A nation that was the first Christian to suffer the first great tragedy of the 20th century, the Holocaust. But we will also remember that in 2018, our people made huge changes, which can be evaluated both as a velvet revolution and as a revolution in the Armenian way.

I have met people abroad who appreciate what happened as an Armenian miracle. Because in this time of the 21st century, to make such changes in a similar way is actually like a miracle, because the world is much more dynamic and unpredictable, and in some places, even harder and harder. And the small Armenian miracle will have its place in the history of our people and in general.”

The president noted that, at the same time, the world’s expectations from us as a country and people are more. “New revolutions will await us: economic, cultural, maybe new, small miracles. Of course, the whole nation will also expect similar miracles.”

The President thanked everyone who honestly, patriotically and professionally served the motherland, state and national interests.

“I want to thank the outgoing National Assembly, Mr. Babloya, you in particular, all members of the government. And, of course, I want to use this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Prime Minister, you and your colleagues on the brilliant victory in the parliamentary elections. I want to congratulate Mr. Tsarukyan and Mr. Marukyan and their colleagues for ensuring their presence in the National Assembly.

And 2019 will begin not only with a new parliament, a new government, but also, I am sure, with new approaches. And one of the first is that the delegation of the Republic of Armenia will participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos for the first time after many years. I emphasize this because it is an opportunity to tell the world again that there was not only a revolution in Armenia, but also that there is a clear plan, goal, desire, enthusiasm to work and build this country in a new way. I am sure that from the very first days, both the members of the National Assembly and the government will not have a single minute of free time. On that occasion, I want everyone I congratulated again, because not having even one minute of free time means serving the people and the state 24 hours a day.”

Once again congratulating everyone for making 2018 a historic year, the president noted. “I want to wish that 2019 will again be an Armenian year both for Armenia and internationally.”