RA Defense Minister Suren Papikyan's message:

"Dear compatriots,
Today, in the Republic of Armenia, we celebrate the most important, honorable, and proud national holiday—Independence Day.

33 years ago, the Armenian people stood at a fateful crossroads, and they unanimously and firmly chose the difficult but honorable path of building an independent state.

Our people consciously and unequivocally undertook that sacred duty.

Our Independence was a struggle for existence and identity, and its most precious child, the army, became the guarantor of the state's sovereignty and the people's security.

Our Independence was a problematic process of state-building accompanied by ups and downs, victories and failures, achievements and omissions. Still, thanks to our people's will, toil, freedom, courage, and honor, it never stopped.

Today, our nation strengthens the foundations of its independent statehood with more extraordinary dedication, faith, and perseverance, continues its course on the path of freedom, democracy, and sovereignty, and builds a protected, prosperous, strong, and just country where the key player is an energetic, hard-working citizen who is aware of his rights and responsibilities. He is a citizen full of progressive ideas, imbued with optimism for the future of his country, and ready to build and protect his country.

I congratulate everyone on the Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia.

From now on, we will go through the difficult path of independent state-building more united, dedicated, and enthusiastic.

And let's never doubt that united desire and effort have been and will remain the most reliable guarantees for realizing our national dreams.

Glory to the martyrs.
Long live the Republic of Armenia!
Long live Independence!

RA Defense Minister Suren Papikyan."