Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended the ceremonial launch of a new-generation biometric system in the Republic of Armenia and the issuance of passports. The event was attended by President of the National Assembly Ruben Rubinyan, Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council Artur Atabekyan, Deputy Prime Ministers Mher Grigoryan and Tigran Khachatryan, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Armenia Lilit Makunts, Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan, Deputy Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs at the European Commission Johannes Luchner, Acting Chairman of the Board and CEO of IN Groupe Yann Haguet, member of the Board of Directors of "HayPass" and Chief International Business

Development Officer at IN Groupe; Isabelle Lauzon, CEO of Corporación América Airports Martín Eurnekian, as well as representatives from the legislative and executive branches and the judiciary, diplomats, and others.

The National Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia performed at the event, and short videos describing the contents of the pages of the new biometric passport were presented.

Minister of Internal Affairs Arpine Sargsyan delivered a speech, after which she presented the first of Armenia’s new biometric passports to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President of the National Assembly Ruben Rubinyan.

Subsequently, the Prime Minister presented new biometric passports to conductor and composer Loris Tjeknavorian, as well as to a group of young people celebrating their birthdays today.

In his remarks, Nikol Pashinyan congratulated those present on the introduction of biometric passports and the launch of the new system. According to the Prime Minister, today’s event and the biometric passports speak about our state, and a state is defined by its standards. "I believe that a standard is one of the essential characteristics of a state; wherever there is a standard, there is, undoubtedly, a state. Today, we mark the issuance of a passport in the Republic of Armenia that complies with all modern international standards."

Highlighting the fact that the new passports cannot be forged, the Prime Minister noted: "This is a very important development, including in terms of enhancing the international credibility of both our citizens and our state. Nevertheless, the most significant point is this: we are doing this for our citizens, because this system of biometric passports should, first and foremost, make the lives of Armenian citizens more convenient."

The Prime Minister added that the biometric system will provide citizens of the Republic of Armenia with the ability to access digital services securely, and will impart new momentum and scope to the digitalization process. Nikol Pashinyan also emphasized the importance of implementing this system for the protection of citizens' identities. "In this era of digitalization—within a digital environment—the biometric system must guarantee the security of individuals' identities. It also serves as a vital pillar of our state identity—in both the symbolic and literal senses of the term—because citizenship is, of course, the most essential feature of a state, of statehood, and of state identity. Furthermore, the design of our passport reflects the millennial journey we have traversed, overcoming challenges along the way to reach this point: the 'Real Armenia,' the Republic of Armenia. And by reaching this juncture, we are opening up new, boundless horizons before us. We are setting ourselves a task: our state must exist in perpetuity, and we must pass it on from generation to generation, pass it on as an enduring state," the Prime Minister noted.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that biometric passports will play a crucial role in the successful conclusion of visa liberalization negotiations with the European Union. "We are determined to follow this path, and the citizens of the Republic of Armenia also expect that we will achieve visa liberalization within the timeframes we have outlined."

Nikol Pashinyan expressed his gratitude to all the partners who contributed to the implementation of this biometric passport system. The Prime Minister once again congratulated those present and wished the citizens of the Republic of Armenia pleasant travels with their biometric passports, as well as a positive experience when utilizing the Republic’s digital services.

In his concluding remarks, the Prime Minister stated: "We hope and are confident that this new biometric passport system will make the services provided by the state, and their continuously improving quality, more tangible and visible to our citizens. I am convinced that the passport, including this biometric one, through its design, content, and the political message it carries, will further strengthen our awareness and conviction that our identity is our state, and our state is our identity.

Glory to the martyrs, and long live the Republic of Armenia!"