Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan joined His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, President of the Republic of Armenia Armen Sarkissian, President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan and numerous guests to attend the First Republic of Armenia and Heroic May Battles 100th anniversary celebrations at the Sardarapat Memorial, referred to as Victorious Century.

The Prime Minister laid a wreath at the monument to Sardarapat Battle Heroes. After greeting the military parade participants and watching the ceremonious march of the Orchestra of Honor, accompanied by the Minister of Defense, Prime Minister Pashinyan made a tour of inspection of military equipment, which featured both state-of-the-art modern weaponry and museum exhibits dating from the Sardarapat heroic battle.

Then a military parade was held, dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Armenia and the May Battles. The parade presented the three military victories which marked hundred years of Armenia’s statehood.
Prime Minister Pashinyan addressed the event with congratulatory remarks.

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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Congratulatory Remarks on the 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Armenia and the May Battles

Dear compatriots,
Proud citizens of the Republic of Armenia,
Glorious soldiers and officers of the Armenian Army,
Honorable President of the Republic of Armenia,
Honorary President of the Artsakh Republic,
Your Holiness,

100 years ago this day, on May 28, 1918, an unprecedented event took place in the history of the Armenian people. In our reality, for the first time a State was founded, where the power was not vested in the king or the rulers, but in the people and the citizens, and that is why that State was called the Republic of Armenia. And since this had never been the case in our nation’s history, we call it the First Republic.

“The Armenians were, for the first time ever, citizens instead of subjects and lords instead of servants. And it was indeed a U-turn in our history. For that particular moment, it was just a change of status, which wasn’t absolutely a gift for the Armenians from someone else; it was something they had earned with sweat and blood. In Bash-Aparan and Sardarapat, we succeeded perhaps the most glorious victories of our history, defeating the Turkish military units, and the crown of that victory became the proclamation of the First Republic. The history of these heroic battles is incredible.

How did the Armenian people, who had been subjected to genocide, who were robbed and destroyed, defeat the Turkish army? Were there any socio-economic preconditions for that? Definitely not: from the point of view of pragmatism and cold count, the Armenian people did not have the chance to win, but we won because we realized through a sobering awakening that our essence was not driven into the deserts and killed; we realized that had inherited the blood of Mesrob Mashtots, King Artashes, Vardan Mamikonyan.

The Armenian people won, because for the first time in four hundred years of its history, it was the first time that they hoped for themselves but not themselves. The Armenian people won, because they realized that the national state is the only guarantee of identity and dignity that we, the citizens of our country, can only guarantee our right, our security and our future.

We have realized that any national dream can not be realized without having a state, having sovereignty, and gaining independence. And an independent state is the first precondition for fulfilling every national dream.

The Armenian people won, because there was a devout leader like Aram Manukyan, who was ready to sacrifice and enjoy the power of the government, but to suffer deprivations and die for the sake of his own people, who was ready to fight for his people until the last seconds of his life.

The Armenian people won, because there were such military commanders as Tovmas Nazarbekyan, Dro, Movses Silikyan, Daniel Bek-Pirumyan. The Armenian people won, because they decided to win.

The Armenian people won and after that, the Armenian people won in all cases when they decided that they should win when he believed in himself, his thoughts, his arm, his past and the future.

Dear friends,

This is the resolution of our people's victory, we have won and will win in all cases when we decide to win when we put our hope on ourselves and not on others when we do not give up on any difficulty when we love to love our homeland and each other when we do not try to tie our narrow personal interests to the will of our own people and to the state when every citizen realizes that he is the master in his own country, not the subject, when the feeling of the master is not only the right but also the duty, whenever we look at every corner of the homeland with the hate, another with respect, patience and dignity.

That is exactly one hundred years after the Sardarapat victory, in April-May 2018, the Armenian people took their next glorious victory, confirming their own power in their own homeland. That victory was just as improbable, and many still ask how it happened and why.

The answer is that the Armenian people once again relied on themselves and not on others, the Armenian people believed in themselves, trusted their strength and their future.

The Armenian people must win, because the blood of the heroes of Sardarapat and Bash-Aparan, Aram Manukyan's blood, Tovmas Nazarbekyan's blood, Movses Silikyan's blood, Daniel Bek-Pirumyan's blood flows in his veins.

Dear compatriots,

The first Republic had only two years, but the Founding Fathers of the First Republic were not engaged in unplanned affairs, but laid the foundation for the new Armenian statehood.

It was thanks to the existence of the First Republic that Armenia was incorporated into the Soviet Union as a full-fledged republic. And it was only thanks to this status that Armenia was able to get out of the USSR and get the status of internationally recognized independent country. It was said that the foundation of the First Republic was crowned with the proclamation of the Third Republic, glorified by the victory of our people in the Artsakh war and was proclaimed by the non-violent, velvety, popular revolution.

And now the Armenian people, the citizen of Armenia celebrates the 100th anniversary of the First Republic. And the Armenian people, the citizen of Armenia, lives on the hottest page of civil history when the nation's irreversible authority is established.

Never again will anyone dare to humiliate our people through vote-buying practices, administrative coercion or in any other way. Any attempt to stop this rebirth and flight of the Armenian people and to strangle their hope and optimism in corruption and permissiveness will meet a crushing counter-attack.

The triumphant citizen of the Republic of Armenia will no longer permit a loss of statehood and citizenship, a loss of sovereignty and law, belief and optimism. The Republic of Armenia must forever exist on planet Earth. And the flag of the Republic of Armenia must fly forever, symbolizing our spirit and pride, our freedom and sovereignty

Today, we enjoy an unprecedented opportunity to soothe our nation’s millennial affliction, the stingy mourning and accomplish our centuries-old dreams.

And the modern generation, as the descendants of the founding fathers of the First Republic, the heirs of Bash-Aparan and Sardarabad, must undertake and undertake this historic mission. And, thereby:
Long live the May victories of the Armenian people,
Long live the heroes of Bash-Aparan, Gharakilisa, Sardarapat,
Long live the founding fathers of the First Republic, and thus,
Long live freedom!
Long live the Republic of Artsakh,
Long live the Republic of Armenia,
Long live our children and we who will live in a free and happy Armenia!

Dear compatriots,
Dear soldiers, officers,

I congratulate all of us on the 100th Anniversary of the First Republic of Armenia and the May Heroic Battles.

Glory to the Republic of Armenia,
Glory to the Armenian Armed Forces.
Hurrah!