Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended a ceremonial meeting dedicated to the day of formation of the State Guard Service of the National Security Service. Nikol Pashinyan congratulated the representatives of the State Guard Service on their professional holiday, noting that the service is one of the most important institutions of our country.

“This is especially true for Armenia, because unfortunately tragic events such as October 27, 1999 happened in our country. The importance of the State Guard Service came to the forefront of public life in recent months, and I wish to thank you for the work done during this period, especially in recent months.

Ensuring the security of the state and state institutions is one of our most important tasks, because reality and our perceptions suggest that only the Republic of Armenia, our statehood can ensure development, security and survival for the Armenian people. We have been facing serious challenges in recent years that sometimes seemed insurmountable, but I would like to emphasize that today we have a completely different situation owing to our joint efforts. We are ushering in a completely new chapter in Armenia’s history, and after a terrible war, in the wake of internal disturbances, we can finally speak about the people’s reinstated optimism for the future. The role of the State Guard Service in creating this situation cannot be overestimated; everyone can see it,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

According to the Acting Prime Minister, during this time we have seen what problems and gaps exist in the work of the Service, where and how to solve these problems. “One thing is clear: the institutional development of the State Guard Service is among our key tasks, which we must solve over the next five years. At the moment, I am convinced of the following: the leadership of the State Guard Service and its units is competent, empowered to carry out the tasks assigned to it. And together we must solve the task set before us: to ensure the institutional development of the State Guard Service. As it was, it remains one of the important pillars of our country’s security,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

The Acting Prime Minister stressed that he himself, NSS Director Armen Abazyan, and the country’s political leadership commends the activities of the State Guard Service. “Unfortunately, we have had some undesirable manifestations in the activities of the State Guard Service, but I wish to emphasize once again that one of the main reasons for this was that as of last November, most of the staff were in the position of defending the homeland. And this is an important feature, because I should emphasize this in order to show that in those difficult days, during the war, the priority of the political leadership of the republic was not so much to ensure its own security or the safety of buildings, but to ensure the territorial integrity of the Motherland. Nevertheless, I am very pleased and proud to state that step by step, through consistent and decisive actions, we managed to restore stability in the Republic of Armenia, ensure the country’s internal security and focus on our external security agenda. We should indeed make our work more active and effective in this direction,” Nikol Pashinyan pointed out.

The Acting Prime Minister thanked those present for dedicated service and wished them every success. “I wish to see fewer challenges facing the country, but in any case, we, the State Guard Service, the National Security Service, must be prepared to respond to any challenge, and this is much more important than dealing with the aftermath. I congratulate all of us and wish you effective, safe and good service,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

NSS Director Armen Abazyan and Head of the State Guard Service Sargis Hovhannisyan congratulated the State Guard Service staff on their professional holiday.

A group of State Guard Service officers were awarded the Medal “For Service in Battle,” commemorative medals and the Prime Minister’s diplomas for selfless performance of service duties.