SARDARABAD (Combined Sources)-Hundreds of thousands of Armenia’s flocked to attend celebrations organized at the Sardarapat Memorial Complex in Armenia on Wednesday to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Armenia.
In attendance were President Serzh Sarkisian, Karabakh President Bako Sahakian, Speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, President of the Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan, various representatives of executive and legislative bodies, the senior Officer staff of the Armed Forces, heads of local self-government bodies, the clergy, and heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Armenia.
"90 years ago, on this day, the long-held dream of our people became a reality and Independent Armenian Statehood was restored," President Sarkisian declared during the celebrations. " It was achieved by a century-long struggle waged by the brave sons of our nation, and by the courage displayed at historic battles of Sardarapat, Bash-Aparan and Karakilisa.’
Former Armenian President Robert Kocharian also attended the celebrations in honor of the hero’s of the Sardarapat Battle. The leaders of the country laid a wreath of flowers at the memorial to the victims of the heroic battle, while His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenia’s, offered a requiem service.
The guests visited the State Museum of Ethnography and National Liberation Struggle, where a new exhibition entitled, "The May victories and the proclamation of the Republic of Armenia" was inaugurated.
In remarks to the Armenian peopele, President Serzh Sarkissian congratulated the country
"Statehood is irreplaceable. There is no establishment, which can replace statehood. There is no ideology that is of higher interests than the state. If our country is weakening, neither of us is becoming stronger, neither of us benefits. We all lose.
"Another lesson learned from 1918 is to trust our will when confronting challenges. No one but us can solve the issues facing our country. No one but us can protect us, or develop our economy, or consolidate democracy and turn Armenia into a progressive state. It is we who must do it. We must do it not for surprising or pleasing anyone but for ourselves. History has shown that no one is more interested in the betterment of Armenia than her citizens," said Sarkisian.
"We must never forget the victories we celebrate in May. They were won because of our unity and strength, which became the basis for our people’s freedom loving spirit and the heroic deeds in the Karabakh war," said Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.
"Military battles increase our trust in our strength, giving us will and resolution to maintain and develop what has been achieved by previous generations. They strengthen our independence, to withstand modern challenges and build a more prosperous life for our people," he added.
