President Vahagn khachaturyan's message on the occasion of Armenia's Independence Day

Dear compatriots,

Today, we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the Republic of Armenia's independence. During the past three decades, our young republic overcame difficult trials, sometimes with unspeakable effort, because the newly independent state was forced to face the challenges of war, economic crisis, and radical transformations of the state administration system almost simultaneously.

But as a nation and state, we could strengthen and stand up, having suffered irreversible and heavy losses, finding ways out of seemingly hopeless situations. We were able to because, on September 21, 1991, our citizens took their conscious step toward having a free, independent, and sovereign state.

Dear people,

For all of us, independence is not a pleasant idea or an end in itself, but a continuous movement, a struggle to create our destiny by our own will, to independently determine the form and nature of our homeland and state, the ultimate goal of which is a free, responsible, constantly developing and honorable person and citizen.

Freedom is a state of mind and content for both the citizen and the state, everyday tireless work, care, the joy of dedication, the joy of victory and the pain of loss, and the highest awareness of responsibility in all of this.

Today, as 33 years ago, the challenges facing our state are not less, but the past decades also prove that any obstacle can be overcome with unity, solidarity, and determination. I also hope that for the sake of our present and tomorrow, for the sake of the safe, dignified, and prosperous future of our children and grandchildren, and for the good of the Republic of Armenia, we are firm in our decision to have our place among the nations of the world. I am confident that the Armenia of our dreams will be built with the collective efforts of our citizens.

Once again, I congratulate all of us on the 33rd anniversary of the Republic of Armenia.