Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called at the Yerablur military pantheon to take part in the funeral of Major Garush Hambardzumyan, who was killed in enemy shelling in the north-eastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The ceremony was attended by Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II, Minister of Defense David Tonoyan, Chairman of NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan, other high dignitaries.

The Premier expressed his deep sympathy to Major Garush Hambardzumyan’s family. Addressing the function, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated:

“Dear mourning members of the Hambardzumyan family,
Dear mourning members of the Elbakyan family,
Dear mourning members of the Gabrielyan family,
Dear mourning members of the Matevosyan family,
Your Holiness,
Members of Government,
National Assembly Deputies,
Army Generals and Officers,
Dear attendees,

Having a homeland-state is a responsibility for the Armenian people, our society. However, the sense of responsibility can grow into collective irresponsibility if we let it get smeared in the general concept of people-society, if we fail to make it a concrete and targeted duty for all entities that form the people or society, that is, for each of us!

Why are we here today? What does our being here have to do with the aforementioned sense responsibility? We have gathered here to announce that Major of the Armed Forces of Armenia, citizen of the Republic of Armenia Garush Hambardzumyan, Captain of the Armed Forces of Armenia, citizen of the Republic of Armenia Sos Elbakyan, Junior Sergeant of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, citizen of the Republic of Armenia Smbat Gabrielyan, and Junior Sergeant of the Armed Forces of Armenia, citizen of the Republic of Armenia Grisha Matevosyan took their share of responsibility by protecting their homeland-state. They put their lives on the altar of the Homeland-State, and not only their lives, but also the lives of their family members, because the latter will have to put up with their absence and will continue to live with the fond memory of our martyrs.

But did their responsibility to have a homeland-state die away with them? Did that responsibility disappear? Of course, not: that collective responsibility affects each of us, from the Prime Minister to the small businessman, from the President to the clergy. Major Garush Hambardzumyan, Captain Sos Elbakyan, Junior Sergeant Smbat Gabrielyan and Junior Sergeant Grisha Matevosyan honored their responsibility before God, before the Homeland-State, before our people and history, before our martyrs and generations, before Yerablur and Tsitsernakaberd.

This is a time of responsibility for us, the living, hour of responsibility for each of us. And every day, we must train our minds, strengthen our souls, our arms and legs to stand firmly on this ground, which symbolizes the heroes of Sardarapat, the heroes of the Artsakh liberation war, the heroes of the April war.

We must stand firm on this land, as strong as our heroic brothers do in Tavush right now. They are a source of inspiration, pride and confidence to all of us. Every time passing by Yerablur, Tsitsernakaberd, looking at Armenia’s flag and coat of arms, listening to our national anthem, we must ask ourselves what we have done to secure the rear of those standing in Tavush or in other border post.

Major Garush Hambardzumyan, Captain Sos Elbakyan, Junior Sergeant Smbat Gabrielyan and Junior Sergeant Grisha Matevosyan, I bow to you and your families, I bow to all our martyrs and their families. I bow to all those Armenian soldiers who are standing firm on the land of Tavush.

And therefore, long live freedom, long live the Republic of Armenia, long live the Republic of Artsakh, long live the Armenian Army, long live us, and long live our children, who live and will live in a free and happy Armenia!”

Grisha Sargsyan, the uncle of Major Garush Hambardzumyan, made a speech, noting:
“Dear compatriots,

The whole Armenian nation is mourning today as we have lost our heroes, our sons, who sacrificed their lives to the cause of ensuring the nation’s security and wellbeing and thereby saved millions of future Armenian lives.

My nephew was a devotee of the Armenian army. He died a hero. Eternal glory to all our martyrs: they are alive and will live as long as we do.

Dear Garush, you will not be with us physically. Thank God, you have two sons who will grow up and bring to completion your unfinished dreams. We all have to realize that we are strong. The loss of these young people does not mean that we have lost everything, on the contrary, it should encourage us to stand stronger for the defense and development of our country.”

On Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s initiative, Garush Hambardzumyan, Sos Elbakyan, Smbat Gabrielyan and Grisha Matevosyan, who heroically fell during the hostilities unleashed by Azerbaijan in the north-eastern part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, were posthumously awarded state awards. Major Garush Hambardzumyan was awarded the 2nd degree medal For Services to the Motherland, Captain Sos Elbakyan was awarded the Medal of Courage, Junior Sergeants Smbat Gabrielyan and Grisha Matevosyan were awarded the Combat Service Medal.